Auld Lang Syne: A Finchel Story
by thefinchelshipper
Summary: She just wants her husband home safely. She just wants a baby. And she just wants a Tony Award. But she's got none of them. And she's alone, so very alone.
1. Prologue

Auld Lang Syne (Prologue)

It was December. Snow fell lightly onto the ground outside of her apartment. She rolled out of the bed and mulled around for a bit, in a trance-like mood. The cold weather always did this to her. Summer had been easier on her. The warmth kept her warm, but now she felt as if the bones in her body would crack and break with any sudden movement. But she loved winter so. It made her feel brittle, and human. It reminded her that she wasn't invincible. Not to mention, it gave her a reason to stay inside all day long cuddled up by the fire with a nice book and a mug of hot tea.

What she really longed for, though, was her husband. Her beautiful, kind husband.

But Finn was overseas with the Army. Which meant Christmas would be spent alone.

Well, not quite alone. She had the cat, Dorothy. But Dorothy didn't help much in the way of comforting.

She sighed slowly and paced around the room, listening to the old, wooden floorboards creak underneath her light step. It was two days until Christmas.

This year would be hard. Without him here.

Usually, in a time like this, she would go home to her dads' house. But they were out on a cruise for the holidays, and she didn't have the heart to tell them she was alone his year. She knew if she did, they'd want her to tag along, and she didn't want to intrude.

Slowly, she walked out of the room, meandering around the apartment, picking up various things and putting them back into their places. She was bored. Lonely, really. She figured he'd have at least called by now, but she hadn't heard from him in a day. Though it wasn't uncommon to not hear from him for weeks at a time. He was always off on special missions and couldn't reveal a specific location. Still, she wanted to know. She needed to know he was okay.

Rachel poured herself a steaming cup of black coffee and leaned against the counter, contemplating what she should do for the day. Christmas shopping? No.. That was something she and Finn did. It didn't feel right to do it without him. Christmas cooking? No.. again, she did that with Finn. Lie in bed and watch Christmas movies all day long? What the hell. Yes.

So she retreated back to the bedroom with Dorothy following and climbed into their king size bed, settling herself in the exact middle of it. Dorothy settled herself on Rachel's lap and curled into a ball, then only the soft sounds of her purrs could be heard.

After finding a suitable movie to watch on the TV, Rachel relaxed a bit and watched as she drank her morning coffee. She wasn't really paying attention to the movie, but instead thinking of Finn. Or rather, worrying about Finn. _Is he okay?_ She thought. _What if he's hurt?_

After several hours of Christmas movies and several snacks and coffee refills, Rachel began dozing off. The chilly air always helped her to sleep. She didn't mind it. She liked sleep. It's when she could finally get away from all the bad things taunting her in every day life. Like the fact that her other half, Finn, was missing from her life at this particular moment in time. He should be here for this. He shouldn't have to spend Christmas in a desert with no wife to lovingly cook him a Christmas feast and exchange gifts with.

No, instead of that, he'd be lying on a cot, staring at pictures of her and just wishing he could talk to her one time. Wish her a Merry Christmas. If he was lucky, he'd get a 'Christmas Feast' in the Chow Hall. If it was like any other day, he'd get an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat). There would be no Christmas snow. Possibly a sandstorm, but no snow.

As Rachel thought about all of this, she frowned, feeling horrible for him. He'd be spending Christmas near bombs and guns and villains? Yes.

She sighed quietly and sipped at her coffee. Usually, she wouldn't be bored out of her mind, but she was not currently involved in any shows, seeing as it was Christmas Holidays. Otherwise, she'd surely be at the theater, working on her singing or choreography.

And while she wanted Finn, she also wanted something else. What she had been yearning for for nearly a year now was a baby. A soft bundle of fluffy warmth to cuddle with her when she was alone. Sure, there was Dorothy, but she didn't really count. She was a cat and could not comfort her in the way that another human could.

She and Finn had tried. Every time he came home, they tried and tried. Neither complained about trying, but after it was all said and done, the test was what really mattered. Every time, all 27 tests she'd taken, had been negative. They'd talked about consulting a doctor, but Rachel didn't want that. She was bound and determined to do this the right way. And she was positive nothing was wrong with her. How could there be something wrong with her baby making parts? She was fine. _It simply hasn't happened yet,_ she thought.

And so there she sat, contemplating life in general and her constant want for a child and her so-far-gone husband. She was worried, to say the least. About both of them. Her inability to conceive a child was stressing her out. And to add on top of that, her husband was spending Christmas in a warring country, where he was the enemy.

* * *

**ALRIGHT... :) So I started a new story... I know Auld Lang Syne is indeed a New Year's song, but it's actually a very old Scottish song and the title roughly translates to "Old Days" or "Days Gone By"**

**So y'all just let me know what you guys think about this and feel free to put in any ideas. If you've read Buried: The Rachel Berry Story, then you know I like depressing story lines. I'm rather good at writing them, I think. I can't write a happy story. Hahaha... Strange but true.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Alright, so first off, let me just apologize for not updating sooner. I'll explain why... I go to a boarding school and we have internet through the school... and for some odd reason, is blocked.. :( I have no idea why. But yeah, I go home about every two weeks, which is when I will probably have to post the new chapters. I wish I could update sooner! If anyone knows how I could do that from my phone possibly, that'd be great!**

Secondly, THANK YOU for loving this new story! I am already liking it as well. I'll preface it (sort of) by saying that RACHEL WILL NOT DIE. She may get hurt, if I decide to be mean, but i'm not sure. Finn won't die either. The Finchel love will live on, I promise. :) Any suggestions, ideas, or comments would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

* * *

She woke to the sound of rain hitting the windowsill next to her bed. She blinked a little and looked around, remembering her surroundings and nestling herself deeper into the warmth of the bed. Quite honestly, she didn't want to get up at all. The bed was just too inviting; loving arms that welcomed her into their embrace. The usual strong arms that she woke up inside were elsewhere.

Rachel sighed and closed her eyes again for a moment, only listening to the sound of quiet rain outside and the soft purr of Dorothy at the foot of the four poster bed.

About half an hour, she forced herself out of the bed and made herself a light breakfast of fruit and cereal. She could already tell the day would be long. But she hoped that Finn would call or email her. Something to let her know that he wasn't lying dead in a ditch someplace.

Upon finishing her breakfast, Rachel dressed herself for the day, constantly sneaking peeks at her phone. But every time she looked, it was the same blank screen that she'd seen two minutes earlier.

She dressed in her usual attire: Some sort of skirt or dress with tights, a sweater, vintage pumps, and a warm, woolen coat and matching hat. The rain had let up and had turned to a light snowfall. Perfect Christmas weather. Which reminded her, Christmas was only one day away. Today was a prime shopping day. Obviously, Finn wasn't going to be here to do it with her, so she may as well get it over with.

She stepped back and inspected her outfit, smiling a little. It was suitable; very Rachel indeed. So she grabbed her purse, set a bowl of food out for Dorothy, and left the warmth and comfort of her apartment to venture into the cold, NYC air.

* * *

After spending all day shopping at Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Barney's, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks Fifth Avenue, she decided she'd had enough of department stores for the day. Incase anyone couldn't have guessed, she shopped when nervous. Which, could potentially become a very bad thing. But luckily, Finn made good money with his job, and Rachel got paid well for every show she did. Besides, she deserved to treat herself to some Christmas gifts. She'd also bought some things for Finn, though he wouldn't be home for Christmas to open them.

Sighing, she trudged up the escalator from the Subway and walked down her quiet street slowly. Once inside, she rested her many bags on the floor and flipped the light switch on.

She was taken aback when she saw what was in front of her. A small, wrapped package rested on the coffee table. Someone had been in her apartment. Instantly, her heart started racing. Rachel glanced around warily before cautiously picking the package up and examining it.

It was roundabout the size of a business card, so she easily tore the paper off and her eyes widened at the sight of the Tiffany&Co. jewelry box resting in her hand. Shakily, she opened it up only to find the most beautiful piece of jewelry she'd ever seen in her life. It was a thin, gold necklace with a diamond infinity symbol pendant.

"Want me to put that on you?" She heard a male voice ask.

She turned around, knowing that voice very distinctly. "Finn?" She asked quietly, a smile spreading across her face. "Finny?" She asked, almost childlike. She couldn't believe this. Her Christmas wish was coming true.

Suddenly, she felt those familiar strong arms wrap around her small waist and lift her off the ground ever so slightly. She leaned back into the sturdy chest of her lover and looked up, finally seeing his face.

He was clean and shaven, his hair cut to a buzz, and he had on his military uniform. She couldn't help but think he was the most handsome man in the world right then.  
Rachel turned around in his arms and cupped his cheeks in her hands, smiling up at him.  
"Oh my God! Finn!" She gasped, coming to the realization that this was happening; it was real. He was here, in the flesh, not just an imagination.

He smiled faintly and leaned down to kiss her gently. Man how he had missed her. Every day he'd think of her; her smile, her eyes, her personality. _His_ Rachel.

"I'm sorry I didn't call or email you.. We weren't in a good place for a week, then I decided to surprise you and come home for about two weeks." He explained, grinning from ear to ear.

"Don't apologize. I was just worried.. But you're here now. That's all that matters." She told him, unable to keep the smile from her face. "I love the necklace, by the way. It's absolutely stunning." Rachel said, grinning up at him.

Finn smiled. "I'm glad you like it. I only had today to get it, because my flight just got in about four hours ago. I had to make sure it was perfect."

"Well, it is. And now Christmas won't be so lonely, because I have my Finn back here with me." Rachel happily told him, her huge smile taking over her face.

Finn smiled and glanced around the living room, noting that there were no decorations anywhere. "Where's the Christmas tree? And the Menorah?" He asked, frowning a little. "You always have those up like, right after Thanksgiving."

Rachel looked down sheepishly. "I didn't want to do it without you here. I didn't really do anything for Hanukkah this year either. My dads were on that cruise for Hanukkah and Christmas, so I really had no one to spend it with."

"Well, you know what we've got to do tonight then, right?" Finn asked, smiling a little at her.

"No...What?" She asked, already knowing what he meant in the back of her mind.

"We're going to make that potato pancake stuff and light the candle things on the Menorah, if you can still do that even though Hanukkah ended like, 8 days ago.. And we'll put up the tree and decorate it. And we can make those awesome vegan cookies you like so much."

As he finished, Rachel smiled even wider, amazed that he cared so much to want to do those things; especially the ones involving Hanukkah. "The potato pancakes are called Latkes, and yeah, we can make some of those.. And I guess we could light the Menorah, as maybe a symbolic sort of thing. I know I'm a bad Jew for not doing it on time.. but still." She laughed a little and smiled. "And I want to go get a real Christmas tree. A huge one, taller than me." She smiled, looking up at him.

"Well, seeing as you're almost legal midget height, that won't be too hard." He told her, chuckling a little. "I'm just kidding though. I love you, including your shortness. It's a good contrast. We balance each other out."

Rachel playfully rolled her eyes and smiled. "How about one that's taller than you? That might be a challenge."

"Well it's certainly one I'm willing to take. Let's go." He told her, smiling as he headed for the door. "Also, I'm starving for real food, so we should stop somewhere for dinner first." He suggested, quickly clasping the necklace around her neck and smiling as she admired it.

"Yes, we should. And I really do love this necklace, Finn. It's so unique, and so _me_. But answer me this... How did you pay for this? I mean, I love it, but it's a _Tiffany_ necklace... Those aren't exactly inexpensive."

"Don't worry about that stuff, Rach. We're doing perfectly fine. I got my Christmas bonus, so I just used a little of the money from that, and the rest for something else."

"What is the someth-" Rachel began, but was stopped by Finn putting his finger to her lips. "Wait and see. It's not Christmas yet."

She grinned and sighed a little, slightly nervous about the other gift he'd gotten her. She had gotten him some things, but nothing exactly fancy or extravagant.  
She and Finn hopped into her white Prius and drove to a nice dinner restaurant that was both cozy and comfortable. It was one of their favorite haunts. A beautiful, old Italian restaurant owned by some friends of Rachel's fathers.

And so they walked into the dimly lit restaurant and were seated in their usual place; a lovely table next to a window facing out onto a quiet street. A few candles stood in the center of the table, creating an enchanting and intimate vibe. Rachel reached across the small table and laced her fingers with his, glad to finally feel his rough, calloused fingers against hers. It had been so long, or so she thought, since she'd felt that familiar feeling. Really, it'd only been four months since she saw him last, but that was like a lifetime.

After they ordered their usual meal, Fettuccine Alfredo to split between the two of them, Rachel simply held Finn's hands in hers, finally believing that this was real and he was here, in the flesh in front of her.

She smiled at him, not talking much at all, just appreciating the moment they had. The small amount of time they were able to spend together. Their food came shortly after, and they ate as slowly as they needed to, chatting a little here and there. It was a bit silent, but it was a comfortable silence.

Once they finished, they stood and left, hand in hand and got in Rachel's car. They drove to a Christmas tree farm about an hour outside of the city.

Rachel got out of the car and was immediately blown off balance by a powerful gust of freezing air. She placed her mittened hands on her pink cheeks and smiled, walking toward the entrance to the farm with Finn. They bought hot chocolate at the small cafe near the entrance, then began to browse the aisles of trees. Some large, some small. Rachel wanted an enormous one.

"It's got to be perfect. No bald spots. Not too short. Not too skinny." She told him whilst gazing up at all of the trees. Finn held her hand securely in his, simply agreeing with her on everything.

"Oh!" She jumped a little, pointing to a tree quickly. "This one! This one's the one." She nodded, looking admirably up at the huge fir tree. It was enormous; certainly taller than she was, and substantially wider.

Finn smiled at how excited she was about the tree and nodded. "I love it, Rach. It's very...large. But that's awesome."

Rachel beamed and clapped, bouncing up and down a little. Finn paid for the tree and after it was securely strapped to the top of the car, they began the drive back to the city.

As soon as they arrived home and the tree was set up, Rachel changed into one of Finn's tee shirts and Finn stripped to his boxers. They crashed into the bed, tangled together and holding one another.

In Finn's arms, Rachel felt safe. She had no reason to be afraid anymore. The bed wasn't lonely and cold. It was warm, and the rhythm of another heart beating next to hers helped her to sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

**Allow me to thank you all for the reviews and such. For an author, Reviews are our lifeline. They're what keep us going. So, the amount of reviews I get reflects on the amount of chapters/writing you get in return... :) Love you lots! **

* * *

Rachel woke up early on Christmas morning. 7:30 AM to be exact. She was like a small child when it came to holidays. She absolutely adored them. And now that her husband was here to celebrate with her, she had even more of a reason to celebrate.

Quietly, she slipped out of the bed and walked into the kitchen, glancing over at the magnificent tree taking up half of their living room. They had decorated it the previous day. They'd also baked cookies and did the usual Christmas-y things. Not to mention, they made love for the first time in what seemed like ages. It was so romantic and beautiful. Rachel felt more like her old self than she had in a while.

She smiled faintly as she stood in the kitchen, staring out the window, mesmerized by the snowflakes falling slowly outside. She always loved snow on Christmas or Hanukkah. Which reminded her of what she was in the kitchen to do in the first place. Cook. She hummed quietly as she began preparing the breakfast she had planned for herself and Finn. The vegan waffles that she knew Finn loved, along with fresh fruit and peppermint coffee. She was also making latkes, the potato pancakes traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. And a special surprise for him. Bacon. He didn't get it often, because Rachel hated the idea of a pig having to die just to provide a luxury food item that could be done without, but it _was_ Christmas, after all. And he deserved it.

After she'd gotten the waffles done and the bacon cooked, she opened up the fridge and pulled out the large turkey. Again, it was a special occasion. And special occasions called for special exceptions in her diet. One turkey a year wouldn't kill her, right?

She smiled faintly as she read over her recipe book again and began preparing the turkey. One thing she prided herself on was her ability to cook. Her fathers never taught her much about it, but her grandmother had taught her much about Italian cooking before she'd passed away when Rachel was 14.

And so the turkey was put into the oven, set to cook until lunchtime. Rachel set the food out on the table perfectly and lit candles. She placed the few presents under the tree that she'd bought for Finn and stepped back, admiring her work. Then, she retreated back to the bedroom and crawled onto the bed, straddling Finn's waist.

"Finny, honey. Wake up.." She whispered into his ear. "It's Christmas."

He groaned a little and shook his head, wanting to stay asleep for a bit longer. He was always so stubborn in the mornings, but Rachel knew just how to get him up.

She giggled silently before saying, "I'm naked, Finn..."

And at that, his eyes were wide open, looking back at her, expecting to see her, well, naked.  
"Just kidding. But wake up, sleepy head." She smiled at him

Finn pouted a little. "You're mean." He said jokingly. "You can't tease me like that, baby."

"I had to wake you up somehow. Now, do you smell that? That's the smell of Christmas. So get your ass up and let's go do Christmas." She smirked and hopped off the bed, pulling her robe off the door and wrapping it around her body.

Finn laughed lightly and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Sure, he smelled the house. It smelled wonderful. It reminded him of when he was young. His home would always smell like syrup and pine needles on Christmas morning. His mother had a tradition of making pancakes or waffles.

And so Finn forced himself out of the bed, reaching for his undershirt and blindly pulling it over his head. He slowly walked out of the room and into the warmth of the dining room, where the table was set perfectly for breakfast.

"Rachel, this looks so great." He told her, smiling as he sat down. "Holy shit... Real bacon?" His smile increased and he leaned over to kiss her quickly on the lips.

"Finn...Language. And yes, it's a holiday. We're having turkey for lunch as well. It's in the oven."

Finn smiled and reached for her hand, holding it as they ate their breakfast. "Your'e the best."

Rachel beamed and shrugged a little. "I do what I can."

* * *

A little while later, after they'd both stuffed themselves completely full, they retreated to the living room, where a fire was blazing and the television was turned to Holiday music. Finn lit the Menorah on the mantlepiece, just as a symbol of faith, not so much doing it for Hanukkah. Rachel hadn't really kept up with tradition this year, but she'd made latkes and they'd played dreidel the day before, so that counted for something, right?

"Open your presents." She instructed him, motioning to the few boxes under the tree.

Finn glanced over and smiled. "Oh, I will. Which reminds me.. I'll be right back."  
He got up and ran to the bedroom quickly to find her presents. He came back with a few boxes and a bag. "Here you are, my queen. Open the bag last, okay?"

Rachel nodded as she took the biggest box in her hands. Finn grabbed a box as well from under the tree.

She opened hers first, smiling when she saw that he'd gotten her a pair of shoes; ones she'd been wanting actually. They were vintage and extremely hard to find, but somehow he'd done it.

Finn tore the red and green striped paper off of his box and smiled when he saw that she'd gotten him a watch. It was the first nice watch he'd ever owned. It was lovely and gold and looked very business like and professional.

After it was all said and done with, Rachel ended up with her shoes, a new sweater which she adored, the complete CD collection of Barbra Streisand's songs, and a scrapbook of pictures of herself and Finn from high school.

The only present that remained was the bag. Rachel was a little nervous as she picked it up, feeling Finn's eyes on her.

"I really hope you like this one. I think you will." He told her as he watched her hands carefully untie the bow holding it together. Rachel reached inside the bag and pulled out two passports, two plane tickets, and several tourist books on different European countries.

Her eyes grew wide as she looked over all of them. England, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain. A smile spread across her face and she looked up at him.

"F-Finn... What does all this mean? Does it mean what I think it means?" She asked, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh my god, Finn."

Finn nodded and smiled at her excitement. "We won't be going for a few months, because I've gotta save up a little more, but I really hope you want to go.. I hope I picked the right countries."

"Finn! Are you kidding me!? This is a dream come true! I've never been more excited in my life!" She smiled and clapped her hands together, reaching over to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him as tightly as she possibly could.

"You are amazing, Finn Christopher Hudson. You know that? You're amazing. And I love you more than words can express."

She stood up and began to skip around, just to get her excitement out.

And somehow Finn knew he'd done the right thing. He laughed a little, watching her. She was so excited, almost like if you were to tell a child they were going to Disneyland. Rachel was always one to get excited very easily, though.

* * *

Later, after Rachel had calmed down a bit, she and Finn lay in bed after eating all they could at lunch. They hadn't even made a dent in the food Rachel had prepared, though. Finn had a feeling they'd be eating Christmas food for weeks, which he didn't have the slightest problem with.

He laid there in their king size bed, on his side, his arm draped lazily across Rachel's waist. Dorothy was napping at the end of the bed, purring quietly. Finn was almost asleep when Rachel spoke up.

"Please don't leave me, Finn." She said meekly, staring off into space.

Finn wasn't expecting this at all. He sighed a little and kissed her shoulder gently. "Baby, you know what I've got to do. I'll be home though, before you know it. Then we'll go to Europe together like I've planned. A whole month and a half. Just you, me, and Europe."

Rachel faintly smiled. "I like that. And I can't wait. But Finn, I don't want to be alone. I don't want you to go. You're in danger every minute that you're over there. There are people who want to kill you, Finn." She sniffed a little. Finn knew she was just getting a little worked up.

"You're exactly right." He sighed. He'd seen some things in the past weeks that he hadn't wanted to talk about. That's why she was bringing this up. Hoping to get some story out of him.

"Finn, what's it like? Won't you tell me what happened over there?" She asked quietly, turning in his arms to face him.

"I...I don't think you should hear it." He muttered to her, staring into her eyes

"I want to. I can handle it.. I'm a big girl." She sighed.

Finn took a deep breath and laid silent for a while. Eventually, he spoke up. "I've seen men die beside me. Get the life just shot right out of them. Seen them get blown to bits by mortars. I've been covered in blood that is not my own. I..." his voice cracked a little.

"Go on. If you want to. I'm not forcing you." She told him soothingly.

"I saw children get shot. I saw them die before my eyes, Rachel. Families destroyed." He breathed out a long sigh. "This is what's been bothering me. Keeping that pent up inside."

"I think it would do you some good to see a therapist whenever you come home. I know that's not what you want, but you've seen some pretty graphic stuff. I don't want it getting to you, you know?" She placed her hand on his cheek and rubbed it soothingly.

For a while, neither one of them talked. They didn't have to talk to communicate. They just laid there, content with just being in each other's arms.

Finally, Rachel spoke up. "I love you Finn. Nothing will ever change that. I'm lonely when you're gone, but you're a hero. You're my hero. And when you leave next week, I'll act like I can't handle it, but really, I'll stay strong knowing that you're going to come back to me safely. Because you're strong."


	4. Chapter 3

**Thanks again for the reviews! I hope you all love this chapter!**

* * *

She's always hated airplanes. They give her anxiety. Simply the thought of being in one scared the wits out of her. Even being in an airport gave her goosebumps.

But it wasn't she who was getting on a plane today. She was keeping her feet firmly planted on the ground. Instead, she watched as her husband boarded the plane that would take him far away from her. It made her want to puke. Watching him leave on a plane was worse, she thought, than having to get on one herself.

* * *

_Three Hours Earlier: _

_Rachel awoke early in the morning to Finn's arms around her and his warm breath on her neck. She took a deep breath and sighed, then remembered what today was. Leaving day._

_She groaned a little and turned around in Finn's arms, so she was facing him. She didn't want to wake him, because he was sleeping so peacefully. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned. Finn stirred a little after a while and his eyes opened._

"Morning." He mumbled, still half asleep. 

_"Good morning." She replied, smiling a little. _

_"How'd you sleep?"_

_"Okay, I guess. I woke up a few times. Then I remembered what's happening today."_

_"Don't be upset. I'll be home again before you know it, okay?" _

_Finn tightened his arm around Rachel, pulling her as close as he possibly could. They laid like that for at least an hour before they finally had to get up and get ready to leave. 8 days just wasn't enough. It simply wasn't._

* * *

She watched from the terminal as his plane took off, flying high into the air. First he'd stop in Paris for a layover, then head back to Afghanistan. Back to the war.

She sighed. After what seemed like forever, she left the airport. She stopped in at a cafe and bought herself a croissant and coffee, then made her way to a nearly empty Central Park. She sat on a bench and simply watched the snow fall for a while.

They new year had been rung in the night before. She and Finn had made love, drank champagne, and just stayed up most of the night. What a year it had been. She'd been in two Broadway shows. She'd won a few small, but still great, awards for her roles. She'd spent most of the year alone, yes, but that hadn't meant it had been a bad year. The ache for Finn hadn't left her completely useless. She had friends, sure.

But Finn missing from her life had left her numbed. Her achievements hadn't felt so sweet knowing that her love wasn't there to see her receive them.

She leaned back against the cold metal of the bench she sat upon. She sipped at her coffee and sighed. Alone, once again. But she didn't mind. She'd gotten used to being alone these days.

Rachel sighed and let her eyes close slowly as she took a deep breath of the crisp air. She always loved winter, especially the snow. The way winter made everything feel as if it were suspended in time. So cold you could just sit there forever.

But finally she forced herself to stand up. She walked through the park for a while, not caring that she was absolutely freezing and hungry still. She just needed to numb herself.

Once she'd finished with the park, she began to walk along the avenues and streets, shopping a little here and there. After Christmas sales were going on, and Rachel figured she might as well take advantage of the offers.

And so she returned to her apartment late that evening, sometime around six or seven, with several bags in her hands. Dorothy was delighted to see her, and vice versa. She sat in the living room and peeled the layers off of her body until she was just in her jeans and long-sleeve shirt. She started a fire and laid on the couch until the growling in her stomach forced her to get up and eat something.

She rummaged through the fridge for a while until she found the leftovers from Christmas Day.

Rachel hummed quietly as she prepared them, and once they were done, she scarfed them down quickly, satisfying her hunger.

She then retreated to the bedroom, crawling into the unmade bed and cuddling Finn's pillow. It smelled like him. She smiled and closed her eyes, wanting to just fall asleep and ignore the world.

But then her phone rang, and she sat up, annoyed.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Rachel, honey. How are you?" Her father, Leroy, asked. "I heard from Carole that Finn left for Afghanistan today."

"I'm doing alright, daddy." She sighed, laying back against the pillows. "He did, but I'm okay."

"You don't sound okay, Rach. I have something to tell you though."

"Mhm?" She asked, just wanting to go to sleep.

"Dad and I got you a plane ticket to come home for a while. It's not good for you to be so alone with Finn gone and everything. Besides, it'll give us a chance to catch up. We haven't seen you in a while."

"I appreciate the thought, but I really should stay here, dad. I've got things to do.."  
She lied. Really, she didn't have anything to do. She just didn't want to go.

"Rachel, please. We're worried about you. Kurt and Blaine and all your friends want to see you too. You've kind of cut yourself off from everything. It's not okay."

"Dad.. I really can't come back. I love you all, but... I just don't know."

"Please?" He begged. "Just for a week or two. Will Schuester even asked us if you'd be willing to help out with the Glee club while you're here. I know how much you loved that club in high school."

"I still love Glee, but I really don't know if I should come back to Lima."

"Well, I sent you the plane ticket in the mail, so I really think you should come back. The plane is tomorrow at noon. Please, Rachel."

She sighed a long sigh and closed her eyes. "Fine... I'll come home for a while. I guess you're right. It'll be good for me to see people."

"Thank you baby. I know you don't want to, but it'll be good for you. You'll see. I love you, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye daddy. Love you too." She told him before hanging up. She sighed again and laid down in the bed. They were worried about her. Everyone was. How could you not worry about the wellbeing of a military wife? So alone, 90% of the time.

* * *

Soon, she fell fast asleep, huddled under the thick down comforter on their bed. She slept until 8 AM the next day, when she shot out of bed and realized she hadn't packed at all. Rachel quickly threw a bag together and got herself ready as well. By the time she was done, it was nearly 11 AM. Her plane left in less than an hour. After leaving out some food for Dorothy, Rachel rushed out of her apartment and hailed a cab.

It was snowing rather hard, and of course there was traffic. It _was_ New York City, after all. She arrived to the airport around 11:30 AM, and rushed to check in and make it to her flight.

She'd barely made it.

* * *

The flight itself was short, but turbulent. The snow had almost caused it a delay, but they were able to take off after all.

Rachel hated planes. She had to take two anxiety pills just to get through takeoff. Thankfully, the ride was short, and once it landed, she was alright. She exited the plane, glad to be safe on the ground once again.

And there were her fathers at the baggage claim. Each of them hugged her so tightly it was as if they hadn't seen her in years. It had only been a few months.  
She knew the look of disapproval in their eyes. To them, she was a little too thin, a little too melancholy, and a little too _not Rachel._

But she was who she was. Just a little sad. Who could blame her? The only thing she'd been thinking of was Finn. _Is he alright? Is he dead? Does he miss me? _

Yes. No. Yes. _(hopefully)._

* * *

Rachel slept the whole ride to her house, and once inside, she fell asleep in her old bedroom. Her fathers were worried slightly, but perhaps it was simply exhaustion? What happened to Rachel, though?

She slept most of the day and into the night, only waking up to eat a small dinner. She was starving, but she didn't want to eat much. Why was she starving? She never got _this_ hungry.

In the morning, Rachel sat down to breakfast with her dads. It was normal, with normal conversation. She didn't want them getting more worried than she already knew they were.

* * *

Later that day, Rachel was in her room, looking through some old photographs, when she got a strange feeling in her stomach. She quickly set the photographs down and ran to her bathroom. She then emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. _What the hell?_ She thought, frowning a little as she stood up. She brushed her teeth thoroughly and walked back into her room. _Wait._ She frowned again and looked at her phone's calendar. _My period didn't come._ _It was supposed to have come three days ago. Oh...shit. _

Rachel paced around her room for a while, thinking of all the possibilities this could be **_except_** for that one thing. The one thing in the back of her mind. The one thing she knew it probably was. "Oh shit, shit, shit." She said aloud. "No fucking way this is happening."

She tried to calm herself down as she slipped her shoes on and pulled her red woolen pea coat on.

"Dad, Daddy! I'm running to the store for something! I'll be back later!" She yelled as she exited the house, taking her dad's car and driving through the snowy suburban neighborhood until she reached a convenience store.

She nervously walked inside and over to the aisle she needed. She grabbed several pregnancy tests; one from each brand, then paid and walked out of the store hurriedly.

"This isn't happening. They're going to be negative, don't worry."

Once home, she ran to her bathroom and locked the door. She did each test and set a timer, then sat on the edge of her bathtub, hoping the timer would never go off. It was quite possible she was just freaking out over a little food poisoning. _But I never ate anything weird, _she thought.

_Beeeep! Beeeep! Beeeep! _

She silenced her phone then turned to the nine pregnancy tests resting on the counter.

Each one had either a plus mark, or two lines. Both of those meant one thing.

"Oh my God." She groaned, dumping each pregnancy test into the trash can. "Oh fuck."

She stood in front of the mirror sideways and looked at her abdomen. It was still flat. "Well... It's not the end of the world, Rachel. It's just a baby." She sighed, rubbing her stomach slowly. "Just a little baby."


	5. Chapter 4

**Alright! Thank you guys for the reviews :) So, I'm glad you're liking this story. And I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also, I promise to update Into the Devil's Arms tomorrow at least once, if not twice. Same with this one. After tomorrow, I can't update for a while because is blocked at my school :( Anyhow, read away and REVIEW PLEASE? **

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Rachel paced around her room slowly, her hands resting comfortably on her lower back. It had been a few days since she'd found out the big news, and it was starting in. It wasn't so scary to think about anymore.

Now, her number one priority was to figure out a way to tell Finn. Without him getting upset or anxious. Which would be nearly impossible to do. Seeing as how he was overseas fighting, and learning that he now had a child on the way would only worsen his anxiety.

She frowned a little and figured she might as well get it over with. What's the worst that could happen? He wanted children, so he wouldn't be angry.

She opened up her computer and turned her webcam on. Rachel sat on the bed and situated herself comfortably before clicking the green call button. It rang for a while, and Rachel was almost to the point of canceling the call, but suddenly she saw Finn's face pop up on her screen, and she smiled widely upon seeing him.

"Hey baby!" She said, grinning ear to ear. "How are you? Have you made it back safely?"

Finn nodded and smiled at his wife. "Yeah, our flight from Paris was delayed for a day, but hey, I got to spend the night in Paris, so I guess that was cool. I got you a little surprise, too."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that, Finn." She told him, shaking her head a little. "Speaking of surprises, I have something to tell you."

"Mm? What is it?" he asked simply, smiling a little.

"I...I uh.." She sighed, looking down.

He frowned a little, thinking it was bad news instead of good. "You can tell me, Rach. I promise I won't be angry."

She nodded and bit her lip for a moment. "So, the other day when I got to my dads' house... I wasn't feeling good. Then, I realized something. I drove to the store and bought nine pregnancy tests."

"And?" he asked anxiously.

"They were all positive." She told him, feeling relieved. She let out a sigh and looked at him through the slightly blurry picture on the computer screen. "I'm pregnant."

Finn's mouth quickly curled into a wide smile once what she'd said clicked inside him. "Oh my God!" He said, running his hands through his hair. "Three years of hard work finally paid off, eh?" He laughed a little, trying to contain his excitement. But it was hard. He was so ecstatic that this was happening. They'd tried, and tried, and tried for three years straight, but nothing ever happened. He had suggested seeing a doctor, but Rachel wasn't having that. She was persistent in her efforts to do this the right way, without medications and doctors. And it had worked.

"I'm so glad you're happy." She told him, beaming. "For some reason, I thought you'd be kind of upset. Or anxious about it, since you're over there and everything."

He shook his head. "No, I'm so happy. I can't even put it into words. I mean, yeah, this only means I have one other thing to fight for and to protect. It's that much more that I have to stay strong for while I'm over here."

She grinned widely and let out a content sigh. Rachel was glad he was happy. It was one less thing for her to worry about. And now, she could be happy. One of the things she'd been wanting for three years now, she was getting. Her dreams were actually coming true.

Suddenly, Rachel heard a beeping noise coming through the computer. She frowned a little and gave Finn a questioning glance. "What's that noise?"

"Oh," He said, looking down at something. "I gotta go, Rach. We've got drills and stuff... I love you, and I'll call you back as soon as I can, okay?"

She nodded slowly, "Alright. I love you. Be safe." she added, sighing as the screen with his face disappeared and turned black.

Rachel got off her bed, frowning deeply. Had he lied to her to protect her? It hadn't seemed like those were only drills... Possibly more... But she hadn't any idea. And she couldn't ask, because if she did, he wouldn't tell her. She didn't need to know things like that. But she couldn't help but wonder if something bad had happened. Like if they were going off to shoot something or someone. It never failed to stress her out. To make her upset.

Suddenly, she got a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. Half of it was just from thinking about Finn and the war, and half of it was really a sick feeling. From being pregnant and such. She groaned and ran to the bathroom, throwing up all of her breakfast into the toilet.

That was the one thing she hated most about pregnancy, and it had only been about two weeks.

Now, her mission was to tell her fathers, Then Carole and Burt. Then, anyone else who needed to know.

She slowly walked downstairs, semi-dreading what their reaction would be. She walked into their bedroom and smiled as she laid down on the bed. Her father, Leroy, was at his computer, doing a bit of work, while her dad, Hiram, was flipping through pages in a magazine. "Dad..Daddy, I've got something to tell you."

They both glanced up from what they were doing, automatically preparing themselves for the worst. "What is it, kiddo?" Hiram asked.

"Yeah, you know you can tell us anything." Leroy added in, standing up and walking over to sit next to her.

"Well," she sighed and sat up, leaning back against the mound of pillows on their bed. "Finn and I, or really it's just me... Well, I'm.. pregnant." she said hesitantly, looking up to see their reactions.

Luckily, both were smiling wide as can be. She smiled a little as well.

"Well, it's about time we had a grandchild around here. I thought your dad and I were gonna go crazy. We're so happy for you, baby."

"Oh gosh, I'm glad." She smiled, laughing faintly. "I don't know why, but I always think people are going to be upset about it."

"You're 26 years old and you're married. You're allowed to have babies if you want them." Hiram told her, chuckling a little. "How'd Finn react?"

Rachel smiled and hugged a pillow close to her. "Oh he's never been happier about anything. He's so looking forward to it."

"That's good. It just gives him another reason to come home safe and sound."

Rachel nodded and hopped off of their bed. "You're right. And now that I've told you, I'm going to go have some lunch. Then I suppose later I'll tell Carole and Burt."

"Well if you need us, we'll be in here working. Or, Leroy will be working. I'm picking out new furniture for when we redecorate the basement."

"Alright daddy. I'll be sure to remember that." She laughed lightly and walked to the kitchen.  
She rummaged through the pantry before pulling out a jar of her favorite vegan peanut butter. She grabbed a spoon and began eating it straight out of the jar.

Rachel thought she'd never tasted anything more delicious in her life. Food just sounded so good at the moment. All foods, but especially peanut butter.

* * *

Meanwhile, 8,000 miles away from Ohio, Finn was sitting out in sand in possibly the hottest day of his entire existence. He was in full uniform, gun, helmet and all. They had camped out a little ways outside of the base to take a breather from walking all day, and fill up on water and food.

He sat on the edge of the road and took his canteen from his backpack, taking a long sip from it. Even in the heat and the current circumstance, he was still happy as could be. He'd gotten some great news today, so why shouldn't he be happy?

He stood once again and looked out over the horizon. The sun was beginning to set, thankfully. He knew it was near lunchtime where Rachel was, but dinner had just passed where he was.

When their break was over, Finn climbed back into the Humvee and then they were off, driving down the deserted road to God knows where. None of them were told where they were headed, simply that they needed to go there for a special mission.

He looked out the window of the Humvee at the desolate, desert landscape. There was nothing - no cities, trees, people - in sight. Which was a good thing, for them. No enemy in sight.

Suddenly, everything was loud. All Finn could see was red and orange and black. His world turned upside down a few times, then he lay flat on his back, unable to move. He could feel the warm blood seeping out of a wound on his head, and he looked around in the flame ridden mess of metal and blood. There had been a mortar buried in the ground, and somehow the bomb team hadn't found it in their sweep of the road beforehand.

The Humvee lay on its back, flaming and irreparable. Finn was nearly ten feet away, unmoving and bleeding heavily. He registered the fact that he couldn't hear out of his left ear also. There were several people around him, but none were moving. None were showing any signs of life at all.

"Can anyone hear me?" He asked weakly, hoping someone would answer. "Please, is anyone able to talk? Can anyone move at all?"

Silence.

He continued calling, then the pain came. He screamed out at the excruciating feeling. His body was now telling him the big problem. Where this massive bleeding was coming from. And it was his leg.

A large piece of metal shrapnel stuck out at an awkward angle from his calf. He groaned out in pain, then, he heard gunshots. _Play dead._ His mind told him. _Move under that Humvee and play dead. Do. Not. Die. You cannot die. Not today. Not for a long time, Finn Hudson._

Quickly, he used all the strength he had left in his body to move himself partially under the flipped Humvee. The shots got nearer and nearer, and he thought that the wild beating of his heart would give him away instantly.

But in times of stress and pressure such as these, the human body does amazing things. He laid there, completely still and silent for what seemed like ages. The band of Afghan soldiers inspected the wreckage, guns fully loaded and in hand. Finn remained calm, his mind elsewhere.

Finally, they left, not knowing that Finn was still very much alive. But he was in a great deal of pain. He needed medical attention, and fast.

Unfortunately, the medical attention did not come until much later in the night. He was freezing cold, then burning hot. His body raged with a fever as he slowly bled out. The medical team arrived and quickly began caring for him. They all assured him that he would be okay. And he hoped so. He could not die. He could not leave Rachel or their baby. He was going to be a father, so he couldn't die. He simply kept repeating that aloud, determined to stay alive. Then, his heart swelled with joy when he learned that he'd be going home for a while, if not forever.

He'd be on the first flight out of Afghanistan. He was so happy. All he had to do was stay alive.

* * *

**REVIEW! I am more likely to update faster if you review genuine reviews!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hello! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, and also thank you to the person who explained that Auld Lang Syne was not a song at first, but rather a poem! :) And I really hope this chapter is a BIG twist from what you thought it was going to be... :) **

* * *

Finn didn't realize where he was at until many days later. He opened his sore eyes and moved his head slightly, only to feel a great amount of pain from staying so stiff for so long. It was nearly dark in the room, and it was hot.

_This isn't a hospital. Where's the hospital?_ he thought, examining his surroundings more.

There were a few places with cracks in the sandy walls, allowing the bright sun to stream in. The floor, he noticed, was dirt, and he was lying on a sort of bed, if that's what you would call it. The room was nearly empty, save for a tray of food on a stool near the door. It wasn't much, but Finn was starving. Four days with nothing had taken it's toll.

He was weak, but he had to at least attempt to move. Finn was fine until the point when he had to move his wounded leg. The pain that followed even the slightest of moves was beyond excruciating. He looked down at the wound and was shocked to see that the shrapnel was removed, and his leg was tightly wrapped in a cloth. Other than that, nothing had been done.

He sighed and groaned a little. Maybe someone would come in and help him with the food.

Finn deduced that he must have been delirious for those four days, in and out of consciousness and sleep. He'd lost so much blood, it was a wonder he was still alive. Sighing, he waited for hours on someone, anyone, to walk in. And they did.

A young boy roundabout fourteen years of age cautiously entered the room. He walked near Finn and looked down at him, realizing that he was awake.

"You are awake. You are alive, yes?" The boy asked, nodding slightly to Finn.

"Yeah, I'm awake now.. I'm alive. I...Where am I?"

"My home. You are safe here. My father is at work, and mother is out at the market. But you are safer here than in the road."

"H-How'd you know I was alive then? I was playing dead so those Afghan soldiers wouldn't kill me."

"My father saw the mortar explode you all. He was a ways away, but he saw the explosion in the distance. When it was safe, he inspected each body. You were the only one breathing. We took you back here. It has been four days. Surely if we had left you there, you would have died by now."

Finn nodded slightly in understanding. "Thank you." he said quietly, but so genuinely. "I can never repay you for the amazing thing you have done."

"Would you like something to eat?" The boy asked, glancing over at the tray of untouched food near the door.

Without hesitation, Finn accepted, and the boy helped him to eat some of the food.

"I am Aasif. What's your name?" he asked Finn, sitting on the stool himself.

"Finn Hudson." he replied, taking a large sip of water. His body was so dehydrated and sore, he thought he'd never be able to properly move again.

While he had been rescued by seemingly good people, Finn knew he still needed proper medical treatment, and to be back in the care of the US Military. Right now though, he would take what he could get. This certainly beat lying dead in a ditch.

Aasif left he room to allow Finn to get some more rest, but Finn didn't sleep. He thought about Rachel. Did she know about him? Had someone contacted her and told her what had happened to him?

Yes, someone had.

* * *

Rachel was laying down on the couch, just trying to rest a little after having gotten back to New York late the previous evening from Ohio. She was nearly about to fall asleep when her buzzer rang. She stood up slowly and let them in, then opened her front door, only to be greeted by a man in a uniform, holding several papers and documents.

"Mrs. Hudson. I'm Lieutenant Robbins. I have some things to tell you about your husband, Sergeant Hudson."

Rachel nodded slowly, opening the door a little more to allow him inside. "Come, sit. Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"

"No thank you, I'm fine." He replied, sitting down in a chair next to the couch. Rachel sat down as well on the couch, her hands clasped together as she waited for Lieutenant Robbins to speak.

"Four days ago, a special mission was sent from the military base outside Kabul to Farah. Sergeant Hudson was a part of this mission. On the way there, however, a mortar exploded their Humvee. Our medics arrived there a day and a half after the incident and everyone was dead. However, Sergeant Hudson was not found at the scene. We have presumed him to be missing in action."

Rachel frowned slightly as she listened to the words. But she wasn't really listening. Her ears felt as though they were stuffed with cotton. She wasn't really hearing the words he was saying. She understood though, but she didn't. With every word he said, she became a little more confused. This could not be happening. None of this was true. Surely this was a nightmare, or a cruel joke. Anything was better than this; the truth.

"Mrs. Hudson, we are doing everything we can to find him." Lieutenant Robbins told her, trying to console her even the slightest bit.

Rachel felt as if she were frozen now. "What am I going to do without him? I...I can't live without him. Our baby can't grow up without a father. Oh my God." She looked down at her lap and covered her face with her hands, silently crying. Sobbing. Weeping. All she could think was _Why?_

Lieutenant Robbins handed her a few papers and patted her on the back. "These are just a few legal documents and some names of support groups. Also, there are several email addresses and phone numbers that you can reach me by. If you hear any news at all from him, contact me or anyone on these sheets immediately. I assure you that as soon as we know anything, I will let you know."

Rachel nodded slowly and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Lieutenant Robbins left quietly. As soon as she heard the door click closed, sobs began wracking her body. There was nothing she wanted more in that moment than to know that her husband was okay, but this was not the case. She may never see him again. And there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Rachel fell onto her side on the couch, curling up into the fetal position. Maybe, just maybe, if she laid down for a while, she'd wake up and this would all be a dream.

She did not have the strength to call anyone and tell them. Surely Burt and Carole knew. Someone must've told them as well. Rachel simply laid there in agony, crying her eyes out. This wasn't possible. He was supposed to have come home safely. They were having a baby. Finn had to be there for their baby..

Hours passed.

She had stopped crying a while ago.

Now, there was numbness.

She felt nothing but sadness and anger.  
Why was God punishing her? What had she done so wrong?  
Sure, throughout her life she'd been rather self absorbed and not very good at sharing her spotlight, but was that really enough to deserve this?

Rachel felt her stomach growl madly, but did not want to eat. She reluctantly sat up and walked into the kitchen. She still had a baby inside of her. That hadn't changed. And she was not going to starve her child simply because she was miserable now. She had to do what was right for her child.

Sighing, she pulled a giant tub of chocolate chip cookie dough out of the refrigerator and grabbed a spoon from a nearby drawer. Rachel piled into their king size bed and buried herself in the covers. Never had felt so terrible in her life. She had never cried so hard. Never been so filled with grief. But never had she lost, actually lost, the one person that mattered the most to her in her life.

The time, back when she was a mere eighteen, that Finn had let her go to New York alone hardly compared to this. She had thought back then that that time was the end of the world; the single worst day of her life. But she was wrong. She was so very wrong. Nothing could compare to this feeling inside of her now.

The feeling that her heart was broken, torn, and scattered across the sea.

Nothing compared to the sinking dismal feeling of pure loneliness that she felt inside of her. Not even chocolate chip cookie dough made it better.  
And all she could do was pray. Hope and pray that he would be alright.

She lay there for a while, half the tub eaten, feeling sick to her stomach, when her phone rang. Rachel really didn't want to answer it, but she realized by the ringtone that it was Kurt.

Grimly, she answered. "Hi Kurt."

"I'm outside your door right now. Get up and let me in. I brought you some food from your favorite place in the world."

Rachel slowly sat up and shuffled to the door. She opened it for Kurt, then walked back to her bedroom and laid in the bed once more.

Kurt followed her and sat on the bed as well, handing her some pasta from her favorite Italian place.. It was also her and Finn's favorite place. She took it from him and forced a smile. "Thank you Kurt.."

He nodded, then wrapped his arms around her shoulders tightly. The one thing she needed now was a hug. She needed to feel close to someone and to not be alone.  
"Rachel, I heard the news. My dad called me a little while ago. Rachel, I know that he's okay. He's going to be fine.."

Rachel sniffed, wiping her eyes and blinking back tears. "You don't know that, Kurt. For all we know, he could be dead and mangled on the side of the road."

"Don't think like that, don't you dare think like that. You can't just give up on this now. You can't accept something that may not even be true, do you hear me?"

She shook her head. "What did I do to deserve this? Why me?"

Kurt shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. But I know that you can handle this. And I know that everything will be okay. Just, focus on that baby inside of you. You've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow, right? Focus on that and don't worry about Finn. You're so strong, Rachel."

She wiped her eyes again and looked up at Kurt with red rimmed eyes.

"And I'm not saying you can't cry. You deserve to cry. You can cry about this, Rachel. Just don't give up on life. This is traumatic. You can cry, scream, break things.. Just promise me you won't give up on your own life."

Rachel nodded slowly and hugged Kurt. She never wanted to let him go. All she needed was her Finn. She just wanted her Finn. But she couldn't have him.

For a long while, Rachel just held Kurt close to her and cried into his shoulder. She sobbed harder than she ever had in her life. And Kurt didn't even care that she was getting tears on his designer sweater. It was alright. His best friend needed him, and he had to be there for her. He cried a little as well. His brother, missing in action. What could have happened to him? Kurt just hoped for the best.

And in a time like this, he had to be strong for the girl who was weak. He had to be there for her and hold her up when her supports had been simply knocked out from under her.

They laid like that for hours more, absentmindedly watching musical after musical just to take their mind off of it. Rachel called her dads and explained the situation to them, crying profusely into the phone. Burt and Carole called as well and talked to Rachel about it all.

Everyone was simply trying to rally around her and protect her. She was fragile, no, more than fragile. She was already cracked all over and one hit could shatter her brittle body.

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**Review please! And remember, it'll be about two weeks before I update either story **

**:( I'm sorry. Also, I promise that the next chapter will be a bit longer. I was in a time crunch again today..**


	7. Chapter 6

-Rachel POV-

She hadn't slept well in weeks. Only did she sleep when the sheer amount of exhaustion overtook her. That's when she slept. Never willingly, never comfortably. It came at the last possible moment, when her body could no longer fight to stay awake.

It was as if her life had been drained from her. Without him, she was upset, sure. But without even knowing where he was, she was less than dead. Her heart beat, she breathed regular breaths, but she was dead on the inside.

He'd been officially missing for seven weeks. No word. No nothing. They'd tried to declare him dead, but she refused to allow that. Rachel knew he wasn't dead. She would feel if he was, right? The tether was still there.. It tugged at her insides daily. She missed him. He missed her.

Rachel was an empty, hollow, shell of herself without him. Kurt was staying with her for the time being, and he'd tried to get her mind off it in various ways, but to no avail. She refused to sing, dance, or partake in any theatrical activity. Her dads had considered having her move home for a bit, until she got her life together, but of course she resisted to that as well. They came up every few days to visit, because they had their own small apartment near Rachel and Finn's in the city.

She barely ate anything, and had lost quite a bit of weight, which she knew was unhealthy for her and the babies. She was selfish, but she couldn't stop it.

Rachel heard quiet footsteps across the creaky, wooden floors. She didn't sit up, because she knew it was Kurt. Plus, she really didn't have the energy to. She felt a weight on the end of her bed near her feet and glanced down at Kurt. She sighed quietly and closed her eyes. "Kurt. What do you want?"

Kurt placed his hand on the down comforter and looked at her soothingly. "Just want to talk. See if I can convince you to take a shower and eat something?"

"I'm not that hungry. And I showered yesterday. I just..I really need a nap." She told him quietly.

He shook his head. "You ate half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich last night. You're starving. And you had a shower two days ago. Now, come on. It'll make you feel better."

"I'm really not hungry, Kurt. I'll throw up." she told him, frowning.

"Your baby is hungry, Rachel. Think about the baby. I know it's hard for you to eat, but you have to do what's right, no matter if you're hungry or not."

She groaned quietly and sat up, her hand resting gently on her stomach. She knew she had to try harder, for her baby. If the suspicions were true, this was the only part of Finn she had left. She cherished it.

Rachel reluctantly slipped out of the bed, her sore feet landing on the cool wood with a thud. Maybe she'd get news today...Maybe he'd show up at the door, and pretend as if nothing had happened..

Slowly, she made her way to the bathroom. Kurt started the bath water, and she slipped her clothes off, revealing her thin body. Bones protruded from underneath her skin in places they shouldn't have. Honestly, she hadn't noticed it at all in the past weeks. Rachel lowered herself into the burning water, grateful for the sting of the heat on her cold skin. It reminded her that she was still alive. She wasn't completely numbed yet.

Kurt left the bathroom to give her some privacy after laying out a fluffy, white towel over the counter. She could just kiss him at how kind he was being. He was living with her, basically taking care of her for Pete's sake. She sighed and breathed in the fresh scent of the soapy bubbles covering the top layer of water like glaciers in Alaskan waters.

Rachel rested her hands gently on her stomach, her growing baby bump. Perhaps it was only because she had lost so much weight, but her bump seemed larger than it should. She was only nearly three months along.

Certainly it was strange. To think that there was a child, Finn's child, inside of her. Living off of her. Loving her. Feeling her. In only six short months, that little ball of warmth inside of her would then be in her arms, being nurtured and loved. She didn't want to think of doing that without Finn, though. She made sure to keep her mind off that. It was just too much.

She washed her hair slowly, just soaking in the scalding water, allowing it to burn her, Allowing it to cleanse her body, seeping through the layers of damage and pain, cleaning it out. She knew it would not be long before they were damaged again though.

Sighing, Rachel ducked her head under the water. She wished she could stay. Life would be easier as a fish, she thought. No more wars or terrorists. Stay away from the predators. That's all. After a minute and a half underwater, she finally came up for air. The pain in her lungs felt good. She felt human again, even if she knew it was only for a little while.

After she'd successfully scrubbed herself clean and soaked until the water became uncomfortably tepid, she stepped out and wrapped her thin body in the towel, drying it off. She actually smiled faintly when she felt the cool air on her fresh, clean skin. It felt new. Like a baby.

Rachel dressed in her most comfortable clothes, as she did most days. It took an act of Congress to get her to wear anything other than pajama pants and Finn's tee shirts.

She wrapped her hair up in the towel and laid down on the bed, snuggling his pillow close to her body.

Kurt entered her room holding a tray of food. Toast and jelly. Vegan "eggs". Vegan "bacon". Cereal and soymilk. A glass of orange juice. It was the most food she'd seen at one meal in a while.

"Eat every bit. My little niece or nephew needs it. Plus, /you/ need it." He set the tray next to her on the bed and laid down as well, flipping through channels on the tv.

Rachel ate it slowly, not wanting to admit how good the food tasted. She wouldn't allow herself to take pleasure in it. Only for nutritional purposes, she reminded herself. She filled her empty stomach then set the tray aside, just laying back in the bed and absentmindedly watching the television. She was silent for a while, which was very unlike Rachel.

Kurt turned on his side to face her and just looked at her. She was nearly lifeless. There was no joy, no energy left in her. It pained him to see the girl like that. Just seven weeks ago she had been so full of life and joy. Now, it was gone. He had to do something. Anything. If only he knew what.

-Finn POV-

The sun stung his eyes. Sand scratched in his throat. Every breath he took felt like it would be his last. He needed water. He needed medical help. And he needed Rachel.

Finn willed himself to sit up and try to look around at his surroundings. It was no use. It was pitch black in the room, and his body was too sore to even consider moving.

He had no idea where he was. He tried to remember, but he just couldn't think straight. He laid there for a while, on a dirt, damp floor in the middle of a brick room. There was no light. It smelled musty, like it wasn't often used. A window on the wall to the right of him was boarded up, keeping any light that wanted to push its way in, out.

Gingerly, he stretched his arm out a little, wincing in pain from the soreness. He didn't even want to think of what his leg looked or felt like. The only pain he felt in his leg was a dull throbbing. It hurt, but was manageable.

Over the next hour, Finn began to remember the horrific events that had happened over the past few days. Had it been a week? A month? He couldn't be sure. He'd been in and out of consciousness for a while.

They had come to Aasif's home in the dead of night. Lights flashing. Guns clanking. Boots stomping. They'd found him. The Afghan soldiers.

Suddenly it was all coming back to him and he was crying trying to remember. They'd traveled for a long time. He was forced to walk, which was quite difficult considering what had happened to his leg. They'd threatened to shoot him several times, but never actually had done it. They'd taken him to a shack much like this one for about a day. Then, they'd taken him here. There was no food to be had. He hadn't eaten anything in days, and his stomach clenched at the thought of food. Food. Water. Rachel. Three constant things racing through his mind. Finn slowly stood up, using the wall for support. His guns, knives, and grenades had been taken. He searched his whole body.

_Fuck yes._ He thought, as he remembered a vital bit of information. He slipped his boot off and searched in the bottom for the tiny string that lifted the sole of the shoe to reveal a secret compartment. Inside was a knife and a small package of food from an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat, AKA Army Food). He quickly checked his other boot and found a flask of water. It was not much, but it was enough to sustain him for a little while longer.

He quickly scarfed down the food, not thinking at all about saving any of it. Stupid Finn. Finn then walked slowly around the tiny hut, feeling along the walls for cracks of any sort. He found the boarded up window and peered through a crack, out into the desert landscape. No one seemed to be anywhere. No guards? No soldiers?

Finn found the door on the opposite side of the room. It was small and wooden, almost like they'd just propped it there and nailed it into place to create a door in a rush. He was sure if he could get the nails out, he could escape.

He spent the remainder of the day prying the nails out of the wood with the knife. His bleeding fingers pulled them out, one by one. Finally, after assuring himself that there were no guards anywhere out there, he pushed the wooden board outward, allowing the bright sun to shine in, stinging his eyes. He didn't care though. It was freedom. It was bright and sunny and he could have sworn that he saw Rachel's face in the rays of sun.

A joyous feeling overtook him. Home was within reach. Freedom never felt so good.

Soon, however, the joyous feeling left him when he felt the dull, throbbing pain in his leg. His body ached as he gazed out over the expanse of pure sand; a desert prison. It would surely kill him within days if he didn't find help.

And that's why he began walking, or limping rather. Finn limped until he couldn't any longer, and collapsed into the sandy scape.

-Rachel POV-

Rachel had always hated the smell of doctors' offices. They smelled too clean and sterile. So as she sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair of the waiting room, she frowned. Or pouted, really. Kurt flipped through the pages of a fashion magazine as they waited, absentmindedly tapping his foot.

She should be here with Finn. Finding out the sex of her baby. Had he been gone that long? Really? About four months. Without him. The thought of it was agonizing enough to force tears from her eyes. They rolled down her cheeks and fell on her skirt. Kurt had finally gotten her to dress properly. Today's choice was a comfortable, dark purple sweater and a black pencil skirt. Classy, yet casual. She didn't care much. Her attention was focused on her stomach, which protruded from her small body.

When had this happened? It seemed like only yesterday she was her normal self, relatively flat stomach save for the tiniest of baby bumps. That was odd. It had grown three times as big in only a few weeks.

She wiped her cheeks and tried to hide her tears from Kurt. She was successful in doing so. The magazine he was reading was the latest edition of Vogue. Of course he'd be off in his own little land until someone pulled him out of it. Kurt held a position as a leading fashion advisor for . It was practically his dream job. He only wished now to move up to the actual Vogue magazine. Rachel was sure he'd make it there someday. He deserved it, at least.

She drummed her fingers gently against her thigh. This was horrible. The smell. The pale pastel color scheme. It was all horrifying. If Finn were here, she'd be okay. He'd have his arm around her, cradling her close.

But her arm was cold. And he wasn't here.

Suddenly, she was pulled out of her daydreaming by Kurt, standing up and tapping her shoulder.

"Rachel, come on. They called you back. Snap out of it, babe."

"Oh." She said simply, standing up quickly and following the nurse back. She had dark blonde hair and wore pale blue scrubs with teddy bears on them. Rachel wondered if she liked her job. If she was married. If she liked her life. She decided that this woman had to hate her life. She was probably miserable, coming here, day after day, wearing those itchy outfits and taking temperatures and looking at baby monitors. Maybe she was unable to conceive children and that's why she hated her job so much.

That made Rachel feel better. Knowing that, in Rachel's mind of course, this woman had a terrible life, too. Rachel, at least, had her baby.

When she snapped out of her hypothetical thought processes, she was stepping on a scale.

The unhappy nurse advised that the number was much too small. That she should have gained a bit more weight than this. At that, Rachel simply nodded and apologized, passing it off as stress. Which was mostly true.

She made her way to the room and laid back on the bed, lifting her shirt to reveal her bare stomach. It was cute, the baby bump. Kurt stood beside her like a good best friend should, eagerly watching the monitor.

The cold gel was squirted onto Rachel's stomach and she shivered, goose bumps rising all over her body.

Her heart beat rapidly and she felt like it would jump out of her chest and run away. There, on the screen was her baby.

And something else. What was the second thing?

"Oh, look at that!" said the nurse, happily. Wait, no. She's not allowed to be happy. "There are your twins." She told Rachel, turning back to look at the brunette's puzzled face.

"T-Twins?" Rachel muttered, her eyes growing wider by the second. She stared at the screen.

"Yes." She said in a cheery voice. "And you see here," she said, pointing to the screen. "They're both girls."

"Twin girls, Rachel." Kurt said, smiling down at her. "Just imagine. They'll be like little clones of you. God. I'll pick out their wardrobes, though."

Rachel smiled a little, her heart still beating wildly. Two little humans were inside of her. That would explain the baby bump's rapid growth. Could she handle twins? She'd have to. Down inside her, she was ecstatic. She just wanted Finn to know that he had two baby daughters on the way. She wanted him home, to be there with her, with them.

Suddenly, a wave of tears overcame her. They were simply pouring out of her like lava from a volcano. They were both happy and sad, a mixture of good and bad. She cried for a while, until Kurt hugged her, and the nurse gave her a bit of advice and smiled kindly at her.

Maybe the nurse wasn't as bad off as Rachel had imagined. Maybe she was happy. She seemed like it.


	8. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Hey you guys. Okay, so I know it has been pretty much forever since I posted a chapter. **

**And for that I am deeply sorry. :( **

**I shall explain. I think i've said it before, I go to a boarding school. Our internet blocks fan fiction, which means that I can't update while I'm at school. And I don't come home that often. I will try to keep it up better, especially with the Holiday break coming upon us. I am thinking I'll just write my ass off and post tons of chapters over Christmas, as a little happy present to you all.**

**Thank you, who read this, for sticking with me and not giving up on me!  
I love you guys!**


	9. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! So happy you all are liking this story. It has kind of turned into my baby.. haha. I love it so much, and I have a fun time writing it. As usual, any and all suggestions are welcome. Reviews are kind of like crack to me, so those are definitely appreciated. **

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- Finn POV -

The sweat dripped from his forehead like lava, searing his skin in the hot sun. It was an oven out in that desert. And he'd been there for nearly two days, crawling and limping in the sandy landscape.

His heart burned and beat hard in his chest and he felt like he'd never wake up from this nightmare. Rachel and his baby never left his mind. He should have been dead by now, but something was keeping him alive.

Hot, salty tears leaked out of his eyes, though he didn't think it was possible with how dehydrated he was. And he just stopped walking, convinced it was over.

Finn began to say his prayers like his mom had always told him to. He apologized to the sky, to no one in particular. Just getting these things out of his mouth was killing him. While muttering half-minded 'I'm sorry's', he looked out into the desert in a last attempt to find civilization.

Then, way far off into the distance, he saw something. A black dot. It was barely visible, but Finn knew there was something. Or maybe it was his mind playing tricks. Either way, he knew the black dot was his best shot at living.

So he stumbled. And he fell. And he got back up. Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat.

And he cried when he saw the gates because they were so beautiful to him. And that flag in the air, even though it wasn't for his country. It was a safe place. And he knew in that moment, when he collapsed onto the ground and the British soldiers ran to help him, he'd be okay.

* * *

He blacked out then, and much of the rest was a blur. He remembered voices in funny accents and cold water and a stretcher. He couldn't speak because there was sand in his throat and it was scratchy from the heat and dehydration. They said he was critical and he didn't know what that meant in this state of mind but part of him thought it was bad.

And he started crying again because he just wanted Rachel.

And the sad thing is, he didn't even register the fact that crying isn't 'manly'. He couldn't even think about that. He didn't think about being strong because he couldn't anymore. His whole body hurt and the only thing that could make it better was his Rachel. And that's who he couldn't stop talking about.

After an hour, he's on a stretcher, needles in his arms and a bandage on his head. His leg is numb and bandaged.

He frowns and looks around the room he is in and he assumes this is a temporary situation because there's no bed in here and no television. Only medical equipment.

A medic walks in wearing a peculiar uniform, one that he wasn't used to seeing.

"Excuse me.." Finn mumbles, his throat hurting a little. His brain is still slightly fuzzy, but for now, he can talk. "Where am I? Whose base is this?"

"You're under the care of the British Medical Team and Armed Forces. We'll hopefully be transporting you to London sometime in the next half our for better medical support. Your injuries are quite extensive, Captain Hudson. It seems as though your leg, miraculously, is not infected. It has not healed well, however, so we must transport you to London to have it repaired. Also, we've alerted the American forces and a few of your men will meet us in London to discuss some things."

Finn nodded slowly, taking it all in. He looked down at his feet. His boots had been removed and is feet were disgusting and brown, bloody as well. He sighed a sigh of relief when he willed himself to wiggle his toes and they did as he willed. He could still use his legs.

"And Captain Hudson," the medic began again, "You spoke of a young lady while you were out. A Rachel? Do you know this woman? Do we need to inform her of your condition?"

His nod was immediate. "Rachel is my wife. You have got to tell her now. I haven't talked to her in weeks. I've been missing and she's pregnant and.." He sighed, needing to catch his breath. "She just needs to know that I'm safe and I'm coming home."

The medic nodded in understanding. "I'll see to that personally, Captain. We'll be leaving soon for London, also."

- Rachel POV -

She woke up in a particularly good mood. It was the first good mood she'd been in in a while. And she didn't know why but right now she didn't feel bad for being slightly happy. It's just, the sun was streaming through the window at a particularly good angle, creating this wonderful light in the room that told her everything was going to be okay. No matter what happened.

She pushed the white comforter off of her legs and slid off of the high bed, landing with a quiet thud on the floor. She stretched her arms high into the air, letting her muscles breathe and expand. She smiled down at her stomach, which was growing larger every day.

"Good morning, girls. I'm actually very happy neither of you kicked that much last night. God knows I needed that sleep." She chuckled lightly as she told her two babies that, walking slowly into the kitchen.

"What'll it be for breakfast? Peanut butter? Ice cream? No, leftovers." She said to herself, nodding as she took the styrofoam plate out of the refrigerator. It was her favorite vegetarian pasta from her and Finn's favorite Italian restaurant. Rachel waited impatiently for the pasta to heat up, her mouth already metaphorically watering at the smell of the pasta.

_Oh, God that smells heavenly, _she thought. Rachel felt as though she'd never smelled anything so wonderful. Except for maybe Finn in the shower. Or right after he got out of the shower, with the smell of the water still on him and his body wash.

And as soon as it was heated, she sat at the table with it, not even wondering what a weird breakfast this was and why she was eating it. All she knew was that she was starving and she wanted food in a bad way.

She glanced up, noticing the morning sunlight beaming through the thin, glass window. And she looked up and across her antique barn wood breakfast table that she'd begged Finn to buy for her when they moved into this place. She stared at his seat, which had been empty for a while now. She imagined his goofy smile and strong hands, right there in that seat. He'd have a little drop of milk on his chin and she'd reach over and wipe it off, grinning her wide smile at him. The one that he loved so much.

Suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach. Rachel stood and quickly ran to the bathroom nearby, emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She hated the wasting of that pasta, but it was revolting to her now. The girls did _not_ like it.

After standing and brushing her teeth thoroughly, she vowed never to eat that pasta again, while she was pregnant at least.

And now, the petit brunette retreated to the couch and flipped through channels on the television to waste her time.

She sat lazily, feeling void of all energy, just searching through the channels. She hated romantic movies. Even romantic comedies. She hated drama films. And tragedies. And war films. That eliminated many options.

And just as she began dozing off, her phone rang loudly. She angrily sat up, reaching to grab it, prepared to yell at whoever interrupted her nap.

"Hello?" She answered uncertainly. She hadn't known the number of who called.

"Mrs. Hudson? This is Sergeant Hayworth of the British Armed Forces. I have been told to call you to update you on the condition of your husband, Captain Finn Hudson."

Rachel felt as though she was in a dream. This wasn't real. She'd really dozed off, and this dream was wonderful. She almost wanted to cry, just thinking about how upset she'd be when she woke up. "I'm sorry. I'm going to hang up because I know I'm dreaming. Finn's missing and they want to declare him dead. There's no way. I'm going to save myself from the heartache later." She told the man whom she figured was a dream man.

"Mrs. Hudson. Please do not hang up. This is not a dream, I promise. Captain Hudson is in our care. We've just arrived in London at St. Mary's Hospital. His leg is in a bad way. We-"

He was cut off by a distraught Rachel. "Finn is there? He's alive?" She asked, tears in her voice. She could hardly breathe and felt as though her chest would cave in. "Oh my God. I need to see him, I've got to see him."

To her, there was no question. Not even a slight one. She stood up immediately, running to their closet and taking down the large suitcase.

"The British Military would be more than willing to cover all travel expenses if your wish is to travel here to London. There's a plane-"

"Ill be on it. Whenever the next one is, whatever the cost. I'll pay it myself.." She was crying now, the tears pouring from her eyes. It felt dreamlike, surreal. Rachel had waited for this day for so long, to know that he was okay.

"Mr. Hudson has requested that you fly first class because of your condition. I would allow you to speak with him, however, he is in surgery at the moment."

Rachel nodded, though he couldn't see her nod. "I can't thank you enough, sir. Tell Finn that I love him." She told him, her tears lightening a bit.

After hanging up the phone and being assured that a first class ticket to London was waiting for her on the airport, Rachel packed the giant suitcase in a rush, quickly, yet meticulously filling it with clothes for her and Finn.

Rachel laughed almost crazily as she rushed to pack the suitcase. She had a flight straight to Heathrow Airport in two hours. At the thought of seeing Finn, alive and healthy, she was giddy. Her excitement couldn't be contained, and neither could the babies'. They were practically doing somersaults inside of her.

"That's right girls, we get to go see daddy. You can hear him for the very first time!" She smiled widely, zipping up the large suitcase. After throwing a few things into a carry on bag as well, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and sent a text to Kurt explaining the situation.

He replied, in all capital letters, announcing that he would let her dads, Burt, and Carole know as well.

* * *

When she arrived at the airport, the wind was blowing furiously. Storm clouds lurked in the sky, and she willed them to stay away. This could not be ruined. Her dark days were turning light because the man she loved more than anything in the entire world was thousands of miles away and she had to see him.

She checked in to her flight and sent her giant suitcase off, glad to have a lighter load.

And then there was security. She was in no mood to deal with TSA assholes, but she hoped it would be quick.

Unfortunately, it was not. She had a miserable time. First, there was her purse. She'd forgotten to leave her nail clippers at home, so they confiscated them. And then there was the fact that she'd worn a metal hairclip, which set off the buzzers. That got her into a small, private room that smelled of cigarette smoke. It made her cough. And then they searched through her whole bag right in front of her, digging around and unfolding all of it.

She fumed. She was incredibly upset, and she couldn't stop coughing at the smell of the place. That's when they decided on the full body search. A woman around the age of fifty, wearing a TSA uniform, entered the room and began patting her down. Rachel's cheeks were red and she was visibly angry, not even caring about the evil glares she gave the woman.

"Why are you doing this?" Rachel asked, not hiding the rudeness in her voice.

"You set off too many detectors, and your bag looked slightly suspicious. It's just policy. I'm sorry, miss," said the robotic woman. She didn't seem too sorry. That was probably what they all said. 'I'm sorry. We have to. Policy.'

_Shut the fuck up and let me go, _thought Rachel. She sighed and lifted her arms and spread her legs, feeling extremely violated. The only person who had ever even had hands near her nether region was Finn. It didn't feel right having this strange woman pat her down there.

Once she was finished, Rachel immediately backed away from her. "That was extremely unnecessary. You didn't even find anything. I'm just trying to get to London to see my husband who's been missing in Afghanistan for twelve weeks now!" She said angrily. "Please just let me go?"

The TSA woman nodded and let her exit through the door. Rachel stomped out, knowing she was acting like a child, but her emotions were getting the better of her. Rachel couldn't even handle them, and it was killing her. She was both happy and sad at the same time and she didn't understand it.

* * *

After a while of walking, she found her terminal. It _had_ to be at the very end, didn't it? Rachel looked at her watch and figured that she had around thirty minutes before they'd start boarding. She finally had enough time to assess the situation of her hunger.

She hadn't thought about how hungry she was, but now that she could sit and think for a moment, she realized she was starving.

A smell in the airport caught her attention. It was bacon. Rachel frowned and shook her head. She couldn't do that, even though the smell was almost as wonderful as sex.

"Shit, Rachel." She muttered, standing up. She followed the smell of the bacon all the way to a McDonald's, frowning when she saw it. Those golden arches were evil.

"You guys really want _this_?" She asked, looking down at her baby bump. Groaning, Rachel reluctantly bought herself breakfast from the greasy food chain.

A cup of coffee, egg biscuit, and lots of bacon sat on the table in front of her, staring maliciously into her soul. She couldn't fight it anymore, and she vowed, for health reasons, to stop her vegetarianism during pregnancy. Well, half for health reasons, and half because the smell of meat was simply so intoxicating.

Once she finished her meal, breakfast for dinner, she slowly meandered back to her terminal where her flight was now boarding. She thought it very kind of the British Military to pay for a first class ticket for her. God knew she needed it with the way her head and feet were hurting. And she'd always hated planes. They scared her. They scared the _shit_ out of her.

Sighing, but with a smile, she handed her ticket and passport to the flight attendant. He allowed her on first because of her status and condition, and she was comfortably seated in the most comfortable plane seat she'd ever sat in. This was only the second time in her life she'd flown first class. The first time had been when she was ten and her dads had flown her to New York for her birthday. She'd gotten to see Les Miserables on Broadway and stay in New York City for the weekend. And that had been the best weekend of her childhood. That was when she _knew_ in her heart that Broadway was it for her.

And now, nearly 15 years later, sitting in a first class plane seat felt the same. It felt imaginary, like it couldn't really be happening. If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

She leaned her head against the window and looked out of it, clenching her fists a little as the plane took off into the air. She knew it would be a long while before they touched down again, and she was okay with that because it was getting late and she was tired, even though she'd gotten a full night's sleep the previous night.

She covered herself with a soft blanket and held her pillow close, imagining Finn's arm around her. And that's how she began the eight-hour flight to London. How it ended is a different chapter...

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**REVIEW PLEASE! OH PLEASE!**


	10. Chapter 8

**Alright, so I was re-reading my story today and I noticed I was a bit confused on the timeline of it all. I realised that I didn't plan it out as well as I could have. If anyone else is feeling a little confused, I have just decided to do this: Rachel got pregnant the night Finn came home for Christmas, which was December 24. He had been deployed for two weeks before being declared missing. And I have decided to just say he'd been missing for four months, which is sixteen weeks. That would make Rachel around 18 weeks pregnant, which would explain fetal movement. And also, the date would be near to early to mid May. Hope this cleared it up a bit!**

**Also, I'd like to say i'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter, although it's a very interesting one...i think.**

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She woke up to the sounds of someone coughing a few seats behind her. Rachel looked at her watch and groaned when she saw it was nearly four in the morning. And Rachel was usually the type of person who, if they woke up during the night, would not go back to sleep.

And the girls were kicking madly. It kind of hurt, actually. She sighed and pulled the blanket farther up around her body and looked out the window, the early sun barely lighting the clouds. It was peaceful, and she listened to the silence of the plane. No one was really awake yet, so she got her music out and put it in her ears, drowning out the sound of the engines with _The Essential Barbra Streisand_ _CD_ album she had on her iPhone.

And she laid like that for around thirty minutes, absentmindedly running her hand along her stomach, trying to calm down the girls because she didn't know why they were kicking so much.

And then she had to pee, and she was hungry, no, _starving_. It seemed like every time she was awake, she was hungry. And she felt so fat for eating so much, but she needed to because she did it for the babies.

Rachel stood up, her legs a little wobbly, and made her way down the aisle toward the restroom. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror after she had finished. She hadn't thought much about what she looked like in months, but she knew it wasn't very beautiful. She'd been so depressed that it hadn't phased her much. And as she stood there, her hair looked a little healthier and her skin was soft and glowing. It was either from the pregnancy or the thought of seeing Finn, but she just supposed it was both.

Smiling a little, she brushed her fingers through the soft, brown curls that fell to just below her shoulder blades. It was strange, seeing this bump on her stomach. Rachel had never truly imagined what she would look like pregnant, but in her opinion, she looked like a whale. She'd just keep reminding herself that it was twins and she was supposed to be this big, but the thought in the back of her head was always there. Maybe Finn had changed while he was missing. Maybe he'd hate her.

She sighed and exited the restroom, making her way back to her seat slowly. It was good that she did, too, because just as she sat down, the light to buckle your seatbelt switched on. Then she heard the captain's voice.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems as though we've hit a little rough patch of weather. Please remember to keep yourself buckled into your seat at all times unless it is absolutely an emergency. We shall be passing through the storm momentarily."

Immediately, Rachel's heart rate sped up. She quickly buckled her seatbelt and put her headphones back into her ears to drown out the noise of the storm.

* * *

It was like watching a movie. The light sky outside her window had turned black. And she was scared watching it. No amount of Barbra could keep her calm about the situation at hand. Sighing, she placed her hand on her stomach and watched the silent film outside her window.

Lightning flashed in the clouds and it was so real, so close to her. She was literally in the sky, watching a thunderstorm up close. And it scared the ever-loving _shit_ out of her. And she felt like right there she'd just fall out of the sky and this was it and she'd die before ever seeing Finn again or her babies.

Maybe she was a little dramatic, okay? When had Rachel Berry Hudson ever _not_ been called a drama queen?

She sighed and just turned the music louder on her phone, letting her mind wander to when she was on the stage, her voice carrying loudly throughout the entire auditorium. And she thought about her last show, which was the Broadway production of Evita, in which she played the starring role, Eva Peron.

The show had done very well in it's run, and she had even been invited to attend the Tony Award Ceremony in a few months. Rachel did think she'd be nominated for some things, but she figured she was too young and inexperienced to actually win.

Sighing, she looked back out of the window. Her attempt at trying to distract herself hadn't worked that well. She was still focused on that storm. The plane shook a little, scaring Rachel even more. She frowned and leaned her seat back, trying to relax. But the rain beat down on the plane and the lighting lit up the cabin. She shut her window quickly, not wanting to think about or see it anymore.

It was no use though. She spent the next hour and a half in utter terror, though she didn't let it show on her face. The flight attendant had given her a glass of water and ibuprofen for a headache, but it didn't work. Where she wanted to be was on solid ground.

And that's when the captain said they had to make an emergency landing. He didn't say anything about complications, but Rachel opened the window to look out. And she nearly had a heart attack when she saw the red. The flames licking at the left wing. She began hyperventilating, shaking her head and screaming that the wing was on fire. A flight attendant quickly rushed to Rachel and tried to comfort her. But that's when the plane became chaotic. People were screaming and it was so loud. She couldn't even think straight.

Lights flashed on and off as the power flickered on and off. Rachel clutched her pillow and tried to breathe in and out. The flight attendant had to leave to tend to other rowdy passengers.

And that's when the plane began it's descent. Sharp and fast, it sped toward the ocean. Rachel's heart beat so fast, she swore it would fly out of her chest. A loud, whirring noise indicated the descent into the ocean.

That's when she felt the warm liquid between her legs, and she thought for a second she'd peed on herself. And she was embarrassed, and felt her cheeks flush pink. But the feeling was weird, and then a sharp pain in her side let her know it was not urine. She yelled out in pain and gripped the arm of the chair tightly.

Rachel looked around the cabin and tried to find someone who was not screaming or running around to help her. "Help!" she screamed, still gripping the armrest, "Help me! My water just broke!" She cried, tears pouring from her eyes. The pain in her side subsided, but was still lingering. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. She was only eighteen weeks...there was no way the girls would make it if they were born today...

"Someone please help me.." She asked, holding her abdomen.

A few minutes of screaming brought a man to her. He seemed unusually calm for the situation at hand, but he bent down next to Rachel and took her hand in his.

"Everything is going to be okay. I'm Dr. Parker. I'm an OBGYN and I need you to stay calm, okay? Can you tell me your name?"

"R-Rachel Hud-Hudson." She stuttered, looking into the man's eyes and feeling a little calmer already. "M-My water broke and I don't know what to d-do. I'm only eight-t-teen weeks..." She told him, worry lines etched into her forehead.

"It's going to be okay, Rachel. I promise that everything will be fine. Now, have you felt any pain in your side, like a contraction?"

She nodded, scared of what his reaction would be.

Dr. Parker bit his lip gently upon hearing the news, but he stayed calm.

"Alright, I'm going to need you to drink the rest of this water here. Okay? Drink all of the water and just take deep breaths. I'm going to stay right here with you."

She did as he said and drank the remainder of the water in the glass. She didn't dare peek out the window at the sight that she feared she would see. "Am I going to have to deliver the babies?"

He shook his head, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Rachel. I'm going to tell you something, and I need you to be very calm about it, okay?"

She nodded at his words and took a deep breath.

"The plane is going to have to land in the water. I don't have enough time to deliver them, Rachel. I need you to just sit here and try to stay calm."

She nodded, the tears leaking from her eyes.

A sudden, sharp jerk downward made her heart drop to her butt, and it took everything she had not to throw up. Dr. Parker had stayed with her, holding onto her hand to comfort her. "You're going to be okay, and so are your babies, Rachel."

Then, there was another jerk and a hard slam into something, which she assumed was the water. Her body lurched forward, and her head slammed against the seat in front of her.

And then she fell to the floor when her seatbelt broke. She was knocked out, and laid there for a good five minutes before her eyes fluttered open. She rubbed her head slowly with her hand, feeling the sticky blood on her forehead.

Rachel tried to sit up, but cried out when she felt an incomparable amount of pain in her abdomen. It was different this time than the last...more severe...not as natural. And then she saw the blood on her yoga pants.

That made her scream with fear, and Dr. Parker had a grim look on his face when he saw it. That was bad, very bad.

Water began dripping in through the windows as the plane submerged into the ocean. People were evacuating the plane, but Rachel was too hurt to move. Rachel let the freezing water run over her body, soaking her to the bone. And she cried so hard when it got hard to breathe. She sobbed when the water level rose, filling the cabin.

And then it got too hard to hold her breath. She began to choke. Her lungs filled with the icy seawater and she couldn't hold on anymore.

* * *

She blinked and looked around, through the watery tears that coated her eyes and cheeks. Her heart beat fast and hard, but she was dry.

She could breath, and the cabin was dry. There was no water anywhere in sight. The sky looked clear as could be, she said, smiling a little. It had all been a nightmare...a pretty horrific one at that.

Rachel sighed and took a long sip of water. She quickly looked down at her pants, relieved to see that they were not bloody or wet.

"Oh god." She sighed, looking around the plane. Everyone seemed to be calm and awake. They'd be landing in about an hour.

And _that_ is why she hates planes.

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**Thank you all for the reviews, and reading it. REVIEW PLEASE! :) **


	11. Chapter 9

**So... that last chapter was really intense, huh? Well, as a late christmas gift, here's a fluffy chapter just for you guys. Thank you all for the reviews i've been given! I truly love this story, and I'm trying to keep it up. I'm home for about a week and a half more so I can update hopefully a lot! :) REVIEW PLEASE!**

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Her bags were filled with bricks, she was convinced. She could barely get the large bag off the belt at baggage claim. And she had to carry her carry along, and her purse. She was exhausted, hungry, and still a little terrified from the nightmare she'd had while on the plane.

That had been..._something._

She never usually allowed herself to fall asleep on planes, for fear of that very thing. The nightmares. Rachel had frequent nightmares about things that scared her, perhaps because she so often got overworked about them. One of her most frequent nightmares involved her voice cracking on stage, or being too sharp, or faltering on the words of a very important song at an important event.

For the last hour of that flight, Rachel had been fine. She had calmed herself down by reading her book, _What to Expect When You're Expecting. _She'd been thinking of baby names alot, but wouldn't decide on them until she talked to Finn first. And so she'd sat for an hour, reading her book and listening to Barbra Streisand, Bernadette Peters, and Patti LuPone, not allowing herself to fall asleep again for any reason. She ate a little of what the airline served her for breakfast, but Rachel never was big on food that she didn't know the origins of.

And once she stepped off the plane, she could have kissed the ground. Rachel quickly walked through the bustling airport towards customs. That would take a while, she knew it.

Sighing, she prepared herself for the long line. And sure enough, the line was terrifying.

People from all countries of the world stood in line, waiting for their passports to be stamped. She was burning hot, perspiration pricking on her skin. Rachel fanned herself with her passport and papers slowly, trying to get some kind of air flow, but she was simply melting. Her feet hurt intensely, right in the arches and the balls of her feet. She thought she'd made a comfortable shoe choice, but apparently not. All she wanted was to prop her feet up and rest them for a while.

Groaning, she moved up the line, inch after inch. She frowned and stood impatiently, hating the way the line moved. Christmas would come faster than this.

A couple in front of her spoke rapidly in German to one another. The woman held the hand of a toddler boy with white/blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. He was almost scary how beautiful he was. He had a backpack shaped like a monkey on his back and a sucker in his mouth as he looked around the airport, intrigued by the hustle and bustle.

His backpack was monogrammed "Bruno" and had a few crayons stuck in the side pouch, along with a juice box.

Rachel flashed a small smile to the boy called Bruno and giggled a little when he smiled back at her, revealing his snaggletoothed mouth. And she put her hand on her stomach when she felt one of the girls move, and that made her smile, knowing that in a few short months she and Finn would have two babies of their very own.

And after nearly forty-five minutes in that line, she finally made it to the counter where a young male customs agent sat. He barely glanced at Rachel when he held his hand out for her passport and papers, and she handed them to him absentmindedly. She rested her hand on her stomach as he looked through them, then stamped her passport.

Rachel gladly took her things back and shuffled along out of the customs line and toward the terminal exit. Happiness overcame her when she realized that she was there, in the city that her husband was in, only a short distance from him. From his smell, his eyes, his hands, and his smile.

Rachel finally found baggage claim after nearly getting lost in Heathrow Airport. And she pulled them through the airport, even though she swore there were bricks inside instead of clothes, and she had to pee, and hunger pains struck her once again. But she would ignore all of it to see Finn. Just to see him was enough, just to hold him and let him feel safe again.

And then she was outside and the rain was pouring and the sky was a dark grey colour. She wouldn't let the dull skies sour her mood. She had stopped briefly to exchange some of her money for British Pounds, and tried her best to get a cab.

Though it was different from her home city of New York, she hailed a taxi fairly quickly and got into it, grateful for the warmth and comfort of the cab.

She quickly told the driver the place she needed to be, and looked out the window in wonderment at the city before her. It was huge, like New York, but so much older. It had character, and exquisite stonework. The streets were full of people and the roads full of cars. The fact that she was halfway across the world had not registered yet.

She simply took in the beauty of the city, through the drizzly rain. London was strikingly different than New York. But again, it was the same. She couldn't be sure.

Rachel hummed to herself as she sat though red light after red light, waiting patiently (okay, maybe a little impatiently) to see her husband.

And then the taxi stopped and the bearded driver held his hand back, requesting the amount of money needed. Rachel tossed him a fifty pound note to him, not caring that she overpaid him. But she was happy, because her good mood spread everywhere. And Rachel felt generous. Because her husband was alive, and he was _here. _

Stepping out of the cab, she grabbed both suitcases quickly, rolling them up to the front door and walking into the hospital, not caring about the strange looks she was getting from the people around her. Her heart beat fast in her chest, pounding against her ribcage.

As she walked along the smooth marble floors toward the reception desk, she wondered what he'd look like. Sure, she knew he'd be in rough shape, but she always prepared herself for the worst possible outcome, similar to the way she auditions for shows. She automatically prepares herself for a loss, incase it happens. Then, if it does, the sting is not so bad.

So Rachel imagined Finn in the worst possible way, preparing herself for any and all outcomes. And her shoes clicked against the floor as she stepped up to the reception desk.

"Um, hi. I'm looking for someone. His name is Finn Hudson.. Is there any way you can tell me what room he's in?"

The blonde receptionist glanced up at Rachel and gave her a small smile, nodding a little. "Captain Hudson is in the Intensive Care Unit. Only family is allowed."

"I'm his wife, Rachel Hudson." She told the lady, nodding a little. Intensive Care Unit? That did not sound good. At all.

The lady, whose name Rachel found out to be Patricia, looked Finn's name up in a computer, then handed Rachel a nametag to wear. "Room 604. Tell the nurse you're family and she'll let you right in."

Rachel nodded, took the nametag, and followed signs leading her to elevators. Rachel stepped onto an elevator with three other people. A man in a business suit with graying hair, an older woman holding a teenage girl's hand whom Rachel assumed to be her granddaughter, and a male doctor in pastel blue scrubs. The elevator stopped on floors 3, 4, and finally 6. She stepped off and immediately smelled the cleanliness of the hospital, especially this floor. A placard to the right of the elevator read "Intensive Care Unit" in bold, black letters.

She stepped off, lugging her suitcases behind her and her heart sped more, her breathing hitched, and she felt as though she'd pass out. Finn was here, waiting for her.

And what was she waiting on, just standing there?

No sooner had she walked past the elevators did a nurse in green scrubs stop her.

"Miss, I'm afraid you can't be back here unless your family." She told Rachel, speaking in a thick, Scottish accent. Her hair was fiery red, her skin pale, and her eyes green.

"I'm Captain Finn Hudson's wife. I have to see him, please." She begged, not wanting to admit that she'd actually beg. But for Finn, she'd do anything. She'd get on her knees and beg.

The nurse nodded. "Follow me then. And I am going to warn you now. He looks very bad, but his condition is stable. He's awake, but still shaken up a bit. His leg is in a bad way and we're going to have to do several more surgeries to fix it, but right now he's okay." She gave Rachel a small, encouraging smile and led her to room 604.

Rachel was required to scrub her hands and wear covering over her clothes, (kind of like a snuggie, she thought), in order to see him.

And once she'd finished, the door was pushed open and there he was.

* * *

He was thin, oh God, so thin. As she walked in to get a better look at him, he was nearly unrecognizable. His leg was wrapped tightly in white gauze and elevated so it wouldn't touch the bed. His face was sunburned and his cheeks sunken in. He had various scrapes and bruises across his body, but to her, he was still just as beautiful.

"Hi Finn." She told him, sitting down in the seat adjacent to his bed. Rachel reached for his hand, wanting to feel his warmth and softness.

Finn took it gratefully, using much of his strength to turn his head and lift his hand.

"Hi baby." He told her, smiling that same old goofy grin that Rachel couldn't get enough of. She was perfect to him, even though the way she held herself told him she'd had a long, stressful day. "I missed you." He said simply.

And that was enough to make her cry, because she did. Tears leaked from her eyes, and she wasn't sad. They were happy, pure and happy tears. Her wide smile spread across her face and she squeezed his hand, so happy to feel that he would squeeze hers back. "Finn...I...I don't even know what to do.. This is so surreal."

"Why? I always knew I'd come back to you Rachel. I love you too much to let myself die out there in that desert. Plus, you make some _amazing_ banana bread. Couldn't let myself go without some of that." he told her weakly, his voice scratchy. Finn smiled at her, knowing that she would get tickled by that.

"Finn." She said quietly, the widest of grins on her face. Tears found a home on his blanket when they fell from her eyes. "Finn." She cried out, taking his face in her hands and just basking in the glow of _Finn._ Because he was here, and he was safe.

"I'm never going to let them hurt you, ever again. Do you hear me?" She asked him, looking into his eyes, her eyebrows furling. "You're never allowed to leave me. And I promise, I'll protect you forever."

Finn smiled into his wife's eyes. She was adorable, powerful, and so beautiful. That woman, she was a force to be reckoned with. Finn nodded, just thinking about Rachel and her tiny, five foot tall body, protecting Finn and his nearly six foot tall body.

And then he felt her lips on his and it felt so good. It was only what he'd been wishing for for months now. It was long, it was peaceful, and it was beautiful, to finally feel this again. To feel like he was normal and safe again.

And that's how he felt. It was right, even though his leg was messed up, and it was okay because she was here and her hands were warm and soft, just like they should be, and her hair was still brown, and she was still Rachel because she hadn't changed.

His hands found their way to her stomach and rested gently on the bump protruding from her. "Wow. That little guy or girl is growing fast." He said, smiling. "I still can't believe it."

"Actually Finn...There's something I need to tell you." She said, smiling a little as she sat on the edge of his bed, her hands resting on top of his.

Finn frowned a little, expecting some sort of bad news. "It's not my kid, is it?" He asked. He'd already been through this once in high school, and he hoped this wasn't a second time. "God damn it, Noah." he sighed, shaking his head.

"No, no Finn. It's most definitely yours. But the thing is.. It's not just..one." She told him quietly, a wide smile on her face. "It's twins. And they're both girls. I actually just had the doctor's appointment a few days ago."

Finn's eyes lit up at that. The thought of not one, but two mini me's running around his apartment made him ecstatic. And they were girls in there. Two tiny Rachels. What could be better(or worse)? "Rachel, oh my God." He said, shaking his head a little as the smile grew on his face. Tears pricked in his eyes and he didn't want to let it, but a tear rolled down his cheek. _Thank you God, _he thought. He'd stayed alive for a reason, and this was it.

His hands stayed on her belly, feeling the warmth of the two tiny humans that he helped to create. "So, how far are you?"

"Eighteen weeks. Almost nineteen. So that means just about five months left." She told him, her hands not wanting to leave their place on top of his. His hands were rougher, calloused, and scratchy. But they still had that certain softness and grace about them that only Finn had.

Finn smiled and ran his hands up her body, wanting to feel that she was real. This wasn' t a hallucination, was it? He figured not. It felt so good. It couldn't be ripped away from him. His hands traveled to her face and head, tangling in the curly, brown hair that he loved. "You're so beautiful."

Rachel shook her head a little, her cheeks flushing a little. "You are wonderful, do you know that? And I love you to pieces, but you should probably get some rest. I took the liberty of reading your chart when I was still outside, and I had the nurse fill me in on some information about your condition. You need sleep." Rachel told him, kissing his hands softly and sitting back in the chair next to his bed. She didn't release his hand, though. He would sleep, but she'd be awake, holding him, making sure he was okay. Because the truth was, if she lost him again, she would lose herself.

"Still thorough, as usual. That's the Rachel I know." He told her, laughing a little. His eyes closed easily and he let sleep take him because he knew she'd be right there when he woke up.

* * *

Rachel could watch Finn sleep for hours. And she did, for almost two hours. The rise and fall of his chest. The way his nose whistled when he let his breath out. The soft flutter of his eyes underneath his eyelids. It was all perfect to her.

The hospital room was cold, and smelled too sterile. The walls were a sickly, pastel green colour, and the floor was speckled linoleum. She stood and looked around the room for any of his belongings, but he had none here.

She stopped at the window and peered out at the sprawling city before her. It was still drizzling, but the sun had set now and it was very dark. She was sure visiting hours were over, but they hadn't made her leave yet. She didn't think they would, either. And if they did, Rachel would, naturally, be a diva and refuse to leave Finn.

Street lights outside burned bright and orange, and an elevated train, she assumed it was like the subway, rolled past quickly across the street.

Once she sat back down and took Finn's hand in hers again, he blinked a little and adjusted his eyes to the light. Finn smiled at Rachel, who was peering down at him, a small smile on her lips. "Finn." she breathed out, sort of relieved.

"How are you?" he asked, moving his hand to her face and cupping her cheek in his palm.

She laughed a little. "Starving. I haven't really had anything to eat in a while. The plane ride was just...horrible...so I didn't eat much on it."

"The cafeteria food is alright. I had some last night. You can go grab something if you want to. I'll still be here. Don't have anywhere else to be." He told her, smiling.

She grinned and stood up, reaching for her purse. "I'll be fast, okay? Anything you want?"

"A burger and fries." He said simply, nodding to her. "Thank you baby."

And with that, she left, making her way down to the first floor cafeteria to buy their dinner. She easily found his request, and settled on buying the same thing for herself. She had to provide nutrition to her babies, and a vegan diet was not the best thing for that.

So she returned to the sixth floor, scrubbed her hands and put the robe thing back on, and entered his room. "I brought you food." She said, smiling.

Finn sat up as best he could and smiled, reaching his hands out and puckering his lips. He was greeted with a kiss from Rachel and the bag of food placed in front of him.

They ate almost silently, because they were both starving. It was a comfortable silence, so neither one minded it. And once they'd finished, Rachel was exhausted, and Finn noticed.

He scooted over in the large bed, allowing space for someone just Rachel's size. "C'mon." He told her, patting the bed.

"Finn, you need to be comfortable. I'll just sleep right here." She told him, shaking her head.

"No, I'll be fine. The only way I'll get good sleep is if my wife is right here in this bed next to me. Now, do I have to get up and drag you over here?" He asked playfully, looking up at her.

Rachel shook her head and slipped her shoes off. She was sure this wasn't allowed, but she didn't care. Finn needed her and she needed him. Rachel crawled into his bed next to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest.

His arm pulled her closer, resting on her hip as it wrapped around her torso. She was close to him and that was all that mattered in that moment. She still smelled like strawberry shampoo and her skin was impeccably soft.

Rachel's legs tangled around Finn's one healthy one. And it was okay. She knew that even though they had a long road ahead, she knew that it would be alright. Because after four months of not seeing one another, they still resumed their routine like they'd never left off. It was still natural and loving and intimate.

And that's how they fell asleep, peaceful and happy in each other's arms. Cliche, but painfully beautiful.

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**REVIEW PLEASE OH PLEASE!**


	12. Chapter 10

**Hey guys. Just want to say a big thank you to all of you who read my stories. It really means a lot to know I've got support. I never expected for these stories to be liked by more than like, two people. I never imagined myself as a writer, or a good one. Here's a fluffy chapter for you all. I hope you like it! **

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The hospital room still smelled like dead people, but she didn't even notice it anymore. She didn't notice the rain outside, or the chill in the air, or even the nurses when they told her things about Finn. The only thing she noticed was Finn. The way he slept, the rise and fall of his chest.

He slept so much in the three days that she'd been there. Rachel had only left his side three times to go to the hotel she'd booked to shower and sleep a little bit. Finn was adamant about her getting proper sleep, not in a chair next to his hospital bed. So she would sleep a little in the hotel room, but it was restless. She still missed the feel of his body against hers, his arms wrapped around her small frame. And not to mention, being pregnant with twins was no walk in the park either. They seemed to turn into tiny gymnasts at night, kicking and flipping incessantly.

As far as Finn's health was concerned, he was out of the woods. The surgery on his leg had been successful, and his doctor had said he could leave in a few days.

When he was awake, they just talked alot. Finn had told her as much as she needed to know about what had happened, but he decided it would be best to keep some things to himself for a while. She was fragile. Rachel had cried so much at hearing the events. Finn didn't know it was possible to cry that much, but Rachel proved him wrong.

She was there through all of the medical things, the changing of bandages, his first steps, all the tests and doctors and nurses and papers. It was tiring, but worth it. He was here, he was alive, he was well.

Two days later, Rachel was sitting at his bedside, watching him sleep again. It was early morning, and today was the day they were scheduled to leave, if all went well. Finn was awake and happy, and Rachel was full, tired, and ready to be home.

She had done well with concealing the mood swings so far, and though her back hurt today, she was determined not to ruin it for Finn because he didn't deserve a moody wife who complained. So she stood up from her chair, her hand on her back and a slight frown on her face.

"Babe, you okay?" Finn asked, looking up at her from his place in the bed.

Rachel looked down at him and forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just tired." She told him, sitting on the edge of his bed and taking his hands in hers.

Finn didn't buy it. There was something else bothering her and Rachel was simply too polite to say it. "You know, I may be in the hospital, but that doesn't mean I'm the only one in pain. If you're hurting or something's wrong, you're allowed to tell me or be upset about it." Finn said calmly, stroking his thumb slowly over the back of her hand.

"My back is killing me." Rachel told him, letting out a long sigh. "And I didn't get any sleep last night because the girls were kicking so much. But I didn't want to tell you any of it because you've just been through so much and-"

She was stopped by his finger on her lips. "Rachel. Just because this happened to me doesn't mean I can't be there for you. I'm still that shoulder to lean on and the guy who is there for you when your upset or pissed off of whatever." Finn lifted her chin to look at him and leaned toward her to kiss her gently.

"You're too good to me." She muttered when she pulled away from his lips. "We get to leave today, though. And we can finally go back home."

Finn nodded and sat up a little in the bed, "Turn around." he said, placing his hands on her back once she did. He ran his hands up and down her back slowly, adding slight pressure near her lower back.

And her reaction kept him going. She sighed and winced a little when he hit just the right spot on her back, and until now, she hadn't fully registered the pain.

"You're so tense, babe." He said, moving his calloused hands up her back to her neck.

"It's been hard these past few months." she muttered, leaning back into his hands. "I feel so obese."

"You look beautiful, Rachel. You and our two tiny humans in there." He told her, smiling a little as he continued rubbing her back.

A few more minutes they sat like that, Rachel humming absentmindedly. That's when Finn really realized how much he missed Rachel's voice. Pure as honey, light as silk, but emotional and moving all the same. "Will you sing for me?"

Rachel stood up and turned around to face him, the familiar smile he so loved returning to her face. "You know, you don't have to ask me that. I always want to sing."

_(WIthout You, David Guetta)_

_I can't win, I can't reign _

_I will never win this game _

_Without you, without you _

_I am lost, I am vain, _

_I will never be the same _

_Without you, without you _

_I won't run, I won't fly _

_I will never make it by _

_Without you, without you _

_I can't rest, I can't fight _

_All I need is you and I, _

_Without you, without you _

_Oh oh oh! _

_You! You! You! _

_Without... _

_You! You! You! _

_Without... you _

_Can't erase, so I'll take blame _

_But I can't accept that we're estranged _

_Without you, without you _

_I can't quit now, this can't be right _

_I can't take one more sleepless night _

_Without you, without you _

_I won't soar, I won't climb _

_If you're not here, I'm paralyzed _

_Without you, without you _

_I can't look, I'm so blind _

_I lost my heart, I lost my mind _

_Without you, without you _

_Oh oh oh! _

_You! You! You! _

_Without... _

_You! You! You! _

_Without... you _

_I am lost, I am vain, _

_I will never be the same _

_Without you, without you _

_Without... you_

She finished the song with a small bow, smiling a little. "That was the first time I've sung anything in months. With the exception of the times Kurt forced me to sing along to Funny Girl with him, but that's a different story."

Finn shook his head, smiling. "Still just as amazing as the first time I heard you. I missed it so much. I used to imagine it, when I wasn't with you. I'd imagine you singing and it would make me feel better for a little while, then sad, because i'd miss you so much."

"But I'm here now. And we are on a flight to New York tomorrow." Rachel said, taking his hands and placing them on her baby bump.

"Just four more months." he said, "and then we can see our two angels."

Rachel nodded, smiling at him. "I'm hoping they won't have my nose. My voice, yes, because you know why, but I want them to have an easier time in school than I did." She sighed.

"Rach, I'm sure even if they did have your beautiful nose, they'd be fine. They're your children, so I _know_ they'll command the attention they deserve."

At that, her cheeks flushed pink and she shook her head. "Yeah, I have a feeling that will definitely happen."

After thirty minutes, the doctor had come to Finn's room and checked his leg over. He was deemed well enough to be able to leave, so Finn was wheeled out of the hospital by Rachel. They took a taxi to their hotel, since their flight wasn't until the next day.

Rachel leaned against Finn's arm, gazing out the window at the drizzling rain. It seemed to her that London only experienced rain. She missed the sunshine of New York. She missed Broadway and a stage to sing on. She missed being home with Finn, but she had him now, and he was never leaving again. She focused on that.

They arrived at their hotel in central London. It must have cost a fortune, but luckily, the American Military had covered all costs related to their traveling.

She stepped out of the taxi and paid the driver before helping Finn out. He felt terrible for her having to do the work, because she was pregnant, but the doctor had specifically said not to put too much pressure on his leg.

Rachel didn't mind, though. He was alive, and it was all she could do not to do _everything_ for him. She would feed him if he needed it, she would carry him if she could. He was her rock, and she his.

Finally, in the warmth of the hotel, Rachel and Finn entered room seven fourteen. Rachel had already been to the room several times for sleep and showering purposes, but Finn was so grateful to finally be in a real room, with a real bed, and real windows and curtains and carpet.

"It feel so good to be in a real place." Finn said, standing up in his chair and hobbling to the bed. He sat down on the end of it and looked around, his face radiating joy. Rachel stood in front of him, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"And we're finally alone. No doctors, no nurses. No nothing for a whole day. I suppose I might show you what I bought while I was out the other day..."

Finn raised an eyebrow when she said that and laughed lightly. "Oh? I think you should."

Rachel, with a wide grin on her face, backed away from Finn and retreated into the bathroom.

She stood in front of the mirror, looking herself over. She was wearing a piece of lingerie she'd bought the previous day. Rachel didn't exactly feel sexy in it, and she wouldn't, even if she weren't pregnant. The teasing she endured in high school still followed her somewhat. She never truly felt beautiful in situations like this, and she _never_ considered herself sexy. But Finn had always said otherwise. And she felt comfortable revealing herself in front of him because Finn was kind and gentle and honest.

She looked over the lingerie, which was black and lacy, and not _too_ revealing. It was very Rachel Berry Hudson, if she did say so herself. Lacy, but classy. She smiled a little and tousled her hair a little before nervously stepping out of the bathroom.

Rachel still felt like the annoying, sixteen-year-old, moon-eyed girl who freaked Finn out at their first Glee rehearsal. She still felt nervous and vulnerable in situations such as these, but Finn always had a way of pulling her from the shell she was in and making her feel beautiful.

Smiling a little, she slowly walked toward him. Finn was wide eyed. He had been expecting something of the lingerie nature, but not this. There she was, just as beautiful as ever. And it always killed him that she didn't believe that. He loved her so much, and to him, she was absolutely perfect. Her hair was not just brown. It was a twisting river of deep, mocha water, cascading over her perfect body. And her eyes, Finn could not get enough. He could stare into them for hours and never find the end. Her skin was like velvet, and her lips always inviting.

And as she stood there in front of him, he swore he'd died and gone to heaven. This was not true. She was perfect in every way, and still she didn't see it. He reached out for her hands and pulled her close to him.

"Rachel. I don't even know what to say..Beautiful doesn't even begin to cover it." He told her, shaking his head a little.

Leaning close to his body, Rachel blushed, her cheeks turning bright red. "Finn.." Rachel carefully unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it back off of his body. He was still too thin, as was she, and his chest had scrapes and bruises still. But to her, he was beautiful any way. She laid him back on the bed slowly, careful of his leg as she straddled his waist.

And when they made love, she cried. Not a painful cry, just as a sort of final salute to the previous months. She knew that would never fully leave her, but this was the last time she would cry over missing him. He was here for good, Finn was hers again.

At first, he worried as to why she cried. But it was a happy cry, and she told him that. And when they were done, she laid beside him, the dried tears on her cheeks. And it had felt so good, not only physically, but mentally. They were fully together again, closer than ever, emotionally and physically.

She smiled and laughed a little, pulling the caramel coloured sheets closer to her body, and she felt his breath against her shoulder. It felt like they'd never been apart at all.

"Finn, what do you think about names?" she asked him, her hand trailing lightly over her baby bump. Well, it wasn't really a bump anymore. It was rather large now.

Finn shrugged slightly, his fingers tracing over her hands on her stomach. "I haven't thought much about it, to be honest."

"Neither have I." she said quietly, staring up at the ceiling. "I like the name Evelyn. And Ruby." She smiled a little, thinking about her two girls.

"I like those alot. Especially Evelyn. It's really pretty, and classic, you know? Not like those names that are so common. It's pretty."

Rachel grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I want something that's uncommon, but still pretty and classy. I would name them Barbra and Patti, but I figure that wouldn't help in the way of making sure they don't get teased in school. While they are classic names belonging to two of possibly the most influential women in Broadway and Musical history, I feel that maybe they're just a little too out there.

Finn laughed a little and nodded. "I missed you and your craziness."

"I missed you keeping me less crazy." she told him, laughing a little.

"You're perfect to me." He said simply, looking up at her, his hands still resting on her stomach.

She smiled, shaking her head a little. They laid like that for a while, neither wanting to fall asleep first. So they didn't. They stayed awake, just talking, mainly staring.

They made love again, but slower this time. It was erotic and romantic, like something from a movie or television show. Finn's leg was no hindrance, either, as she thought it might be. He didn't seem injured in any way, except for when they finished, he was much more tired than he usually would have been.

"Rachel." he said after a few minutes of laying silently. "I never thought to ask you how your flight here was."

She cringed at the thought of it. Finn had always been with her whenever she flied, with the exception of four times. Once when she was just nineteen, and three times while he was gone overseas. He knew of her anxiety of planes and was always there to calm her down. "It was...okay." She said simply.

"Rach, I know you. I know how scared you are of planes. I'm not gonna judge you for being scared of something. Hell, I'm terrified of deserts now."

"Truthfully, it was terrible. I hate customs and TSA people," she sighed, "I really just wanted to get on the plane, but I got a fucking pat down instead. And the first class seat was lovely at first, until I fell asleep. I had a miserable nightmare" She sniffed a little, and Finn saw a few lone tears roll down her cheeks, glistening in the moonlight. "And, to be honest, I'm terrified of getting on that plane tomorrow."

Upon hearing that, Finn tightened his arm around her, pulling her closer than she would have thought possible. She was nearly on top of him, and while she didn't want to hurt him, she welcomed the closeness. "I promise I won't let anyone or anything hurt you. I can't promise you no nightmares, but I will promise you that I'll be right there holding you the whole time. We're going to do it together."

Rachel looked at him with the deep brown eyes that he could get lost in and nodded slightly. "You're so wise." She smiled a little and leaned in to kiss him, letting her lips return to the place they were most comfortable.

He pulled the comforter and caramel coloured sheets close to their bodies, making sure Rachel was sufficiently covered before he let his eyes close. And he listened to the sounds of the city and the feel of her heartbeat against his chest as he fell asleep.

Because the truth was, being in this city with the woman he loved was all he could ask for.

He watched her sleep. Not in a creepy way, in a loving way. She slept fitfully, he suspected it was because of the babies. Her eyes moved beneath her eyelids, and it was strangely beautiful to him.

And he realized that life was messy and horrible, but he knew if he had one thing good, or three, life would be okay and he could still see the beauty in it.

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**So I hope you liked the chapter :) I love you all, REVIEW PLEASE :)**


	13. Chapter 11

**Hello all! Sorry it's been a while since I updated... It took me a while to think of how and what to write for this chapter. But I finally did it, and I made it extra long for you guys :) Well, not super long, but pretty long. Okay. review and enjoy!**

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Her anxiety was through the roof. She didn't know why, though, because everything was finally falling back into place in her life.

She had everything going for her, and still she could not help but become scared at everything. Her fears were intensified as she stepped onto that plane, following Finn in his wheelchair. She couldn't help but wonder if a hammer would be taken to the ceramic vase that was her life. She had only just glued all of the pieces back together. It wasn't whole, but it fit and it stood strong. But what if the glue wasn't the good kind of glue? What if it fell over and broke again?

Enough with the metaphors, even though metaphors _are _important.

Rachel sat down uneasily in the first class seat, clutching Finn's hand in hers. Thankfully, he'd chosen to sit by the window because honestly, she didn't think she could bear it. Her palms were sweating and she could hear her heartbeat thumping madly against the wall of her chest. The babies were kicking as well, sensing their mother's anxiety. And for a moment she forgot Finn was right next to her in the worn, navy blue seat. For a moment she flashed back to the flight she'd been on nearly eleven days earlier. And she closed her eyes, trying to stay calm. The last thing she wanted to do was worry Finn.

"Rach." He muttered, clasping his hands around hers, kissing them softly. "Baby, it's okay." Finn looked at her, his forehead creasing into a frown.

She looked up at him and frowned, nodding a little. She took solace in his eyes, the deep, dark moons on his face. If anyone asked her, she'd swear she could see into his soul through his eyes. It sounds cliche, sure, but she swore it was true.

"I love you." She told him, kissing his hands gently. "I guess I'm just a little nervous." she sighed, "It's an eight hour flight."

"A little, Rachel? You're _terrified_ of planes." He smirked at her, making the goofy little face that she'd always adored. "A husband knows these things, Rach. We almost didn't go on our honeymoon, remember? You were convinced we were going to crash in the Bermuda Triangle and be lost forever."

Her cheeks flushed and shook her head, rolling her eyes a little. "I was _not_, Finn Hudson!" She squealed, gradually becoming more and more at ease as he talked to her.

"You made me speak to the pilot, _Rachel Hudson_!" He told her incredulously, grinning wide at her. "Now, lay your little head on my shoulder and let me just hold you."

Rachel couldn't object to that, so she laid her head on his shoulder, _her_ shoulder. She had spent many a night with her head on that shoulder, watching some romantic comedy, musical, or absentmindedly staring at the football games Finn so rarely convinced her to watch.

She let her eyes wander down to the blue cast on his leg, her fingernails grazing over the bumpy material slowly. The cast rose to just above his knee and stopped at his toes. Aside from the ghastly blue cast, Finn hadn't many other physical ailments. Scratches, bruises, bumps, and scares dotted his body, but his leg was the only main concern. Though, Finn's diet had changed slightly. His body was not used to the food that it once had been used to, so he was having to slowly wean himself into larger portions and richer foods to avoid becoming sick.

But those were only physical things.

The mental ailments, she feared, would outnumber the physical ones.

His doctor had suggested she and Finn begin therapy together once a week, as well as a solo therapy session for Finn and a solo therapy session for Rachel, also once per week. He explained that Finn had endured many things of which the average person never would experience, and he feared that Finn would suffer from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

She thought about all of these things slowly, remembering the big words the doctor had used and all of the explanations he had given to them. Finn was healthy, physically, but the mental road to recovery would be long, he'd said.

She had faith in him, though. He'd been through alot in his years on earth, but above it all, he'd risen. She looked down at her hands in his, examining his wrists. Angry, red welt-like scars circled them. "Finn." She muttered, tracing her finger barely over them. "What are _these_ from?"

Finn sighed and turned his gaze to his wrists. "Zip ties. Kind of like cheap, plastic handcuffs, I guess. I tried too hard to get out of them the first night they had me." He looked down at his lap, not wanting to scare her by telling her more.

"Oh." She sighed, her mind imagining him tied up in a dusty corner somewhere, upset and hurt. It hurt her just to think of that, someone hurting him.

Finn dismissed the conversation and put his arm around her back, holding her close. His other hand rested comfortably on her stomach, and he smiled at each bump and kick he felt from the girls.

The walls of the airplane shook slightly as it began to move down the runway. She started out of the oblong window and watched the many terminals of Heathrow Airport fade away as the airplane turned on its two, tiny wheels.

Finn's hand found hers once the plane began to accelerate down the runway, and she shuddered when she felt the wheels pick up from the ground. It was _terrifying._ Strange, really though. Here was this amazing girl who could stand up and sing alone in front of hundreds, thousands, probably even millions of people, but could not bear to sit on a plane alone. His rough hands stroked the smooth skin of her own hands in a calming way, just the way one might stroke a baby's back, or behind a dog's ear.

Soon, the aircraft had ascended to the proper height and the seatbelt sign was turned off. The skies were perfectly clear, the pilot had said over the intercom. They were in perfect flying weather. No complications.

Rachel breathed out a sigh of relief and looked up at Finn, smiling a little.

"What'cha grinning about, beautiful?" He asked, still protectively holding onto her hand with his right hand, his left hand securely on her protruding belly.

"This just doesn't even feel real. Last week...on the plane to London...it was horrible. And this week, I didn't even cry on takeoff."

He kissed her forehead gently, nodding. "It's because you've got this extremely hot, 6'3" soldier here to protect you."

"Well isn't someone cocky?" She asked, laughing a little. "But yeah, it's because you're here. You're amazing, you know that?"

"Yeah." He said, joking. "No, you're the amazing one."

Rachel rolled her eyes and she could almost imagine Santana Lopez fake puking in front of them, whining for them to get a room. And she almost laughed at that. She'd missed Santana.

After a while of just talking, or perhaps only enjoying each other's company, Rachel fell asleep on Finn's shoulder, his hand clutched tightly in hers.

Finn, on the other hand, stared absentmindedly out the window. He couldn't sleep. Every time he'd gone to sleep since he'd arrived at the hospital, he'd had nightmares. No, he hadn't told Rachel yet because he was sure she'd have a coronary and insist he tell her every minuscule detail and forcibly suggest he see someone about it immediately.

He would, eventually.

Hours passed. Rachel woke. Food was served. Small talk. Smiles. Laughter. It was almost like old times, like before the Army and before he was hurt and before life had gotten _real_. Before. Back when she thought she'd never suffer like this. When she thought her life would stay at a near perfect pace. Although she'd been through pain and hurt and basically hell the last few months, and it may sound crazy, but she did not regret or resent what had happened to them. The pain Finn was put through, perhaps, but in her heart, she knew that this bump, although massive and jarring, was a hurdle that needed to be crossed in order to bring their life to a new level; a level of peace and understanding about the world around them. They no longer viewed their lives as perfect, and each little struggle felt somewhat easier, knowing that they'd gotten through what most people never dreamt of going through. Rachel felt stronger, knowing this. And as strange as it was, this experience would prove to be songwriting gold.

After the last meal was served, and Rachel had gotten up to use the restroom for what felt like the 50th time, the pilot announced that the plane would land shortly at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Finn smiled to himself, happy to finally be back in the USA, back in his city.

He held Rachel's hand securely in his, talking to her gently and soothingly, just trying to take her mind off the fact that they were landing. It was always her least favorite part, especially at LaGuardia Airport, because of the fact that there's water all around the runway. She always had it in her head that the landing gear would break and they'd crash into the water, or blow up somehow.

So he turned to her and he looked into the familiar brown eyes that he was so used to waking up seeing. He smiled at her, the same old goofy smile that she'd fallen in love with in their sophomore year of high school. She couldn't help but smile back at the man before her.

Rachel shuddered slightly when she felt the bump of the plane tires on the tarmac. "Thank God." She mumbled, feeling the plane slow. She looked out the window behind Finn's shoulder and grinned. "Back in New York. Thank God." She sighed. "I don't think I could eat that British food another day in a row. I just want bacon, like now. Not that ham stuff. I want bacon."

Finn laughed and raised an eyebrow. "So I take it the vegan thing went out the window while I was gone?"

"Just while I'm pregnant. I need the protein. _They_ need the protein." She explained, her finger tracing circles on her stomach.

Finn knew, though, she really only ate the bacon because he guessed she craved it so much. But she'd never admit that.

Once the plane stopped and the doors were opened, Finn and Rachel were the first off, on account of Finn's condition.

She wheeled him without difficulty out of the terminal and to the customs line. Again, they waited in a long line and Rachel flashed back to seeing the little German boy, Bruno. She smiled to herself, wondering silently where he might be now, and if he was still snaggletoothed and happy and if his parents really loved each other. But of course he was, because she'd only just seen him a week earlier.

She always got like that. Overanalyzing things. Wanting to know everything there was to know about a particular person of subject. She tended to be overly thorough, but there wasn't any harm in that. It was actually helpful, because on night a few years back she'd gone on a tangent about keeping healthy and protected, so she'd gone and bought a book listing every bone in the human body, specific types of bones, and what do do if you break a bone. Now, she was practically an expert at bones and things of that nature. It never hurts to be prepared, right?

And now that she was pregnant, Rachel felt it was necessary to buy up every single book on pregnancy and what to expect when one is expecting. Yes, she was a bit over-analytical.

They made it through customs and were soon escorted through security again, which was quick and painless this time.

Then came baggage claim. She had a little trouble grabbing their suitcases from the belt, but thankfully they were both rolling suitcases, so she didn't have much trouble pulling them behind her as Finn wheeled himself along the path to the exit.

And then they were free, out in the hot New York air. The early-June commotion of the city was exhilarating. She didn't care that she had to pee and she felt like she could eat her own hand. All that mattered was that they were there, whole and happy and _together. _

She hailed a cab for them. Sure, she was unbelievably pregnant, and hadn't really been out of her apartment in a while, but she was still the New York girl who commanded attention and fought for her own spot in the city.

Once inside the cool interior of the cab, Rachel lay her head on Finn's head. "You okay?" She asked, looking up at him. His attention was focused on the window, watching the city go by.

"I just never thought I'd see this place again is all." He said, clutching her hand in his.

"Well, you should know that you won't be leaving it anytime soon without me. You're here to stay, Finn Hudson." She smiled, leaning to kiss his cheek. Her stomach got in the way, though. "Damn." She sighed.

Finn laughed and held her face in his hands, leaning close to her to kiss her. It was one of those perfect, movie-like kisses. It didn't seem real how perfect it actually was.

Their apartment was a little ways from the airport, but it wasn't as far out as it had been when they first moved to the city. They were barely even in the city then. But now, Finn made better money and Rachel was moving up the Broadway ladder and they could finally afford a tiny little two bedroom/two bath apartment in the Upper West Side. It wasn't much, but it was perfectly perfect for the two of them.

Finally, they were there. After helping Finn out of the taxi and back into his wheelchair, she rolled their bags and Finn into the elevator in the lobby.

And then they were at the old wooden door that marked the entrance to their home.

Then, suddenly, it was opened by a rather perky and excited Kurt Hummel. The boy nearly choked the life out of Finn. "Oh my God! _Finn!_ God, you have no idea how much we've missed you!"

Finn happily hugged his brother back, realizing only now how much he'd actually missed the spunkiness of Kurt's personality. He'd missed his crazies. "I missed you too, man."

"How are you? Are you feeling okay? What happened to your leg?" The questions poured out of Kurt's mouth like lava. Rachel wheeled Finn into the living room and fell backward onto the couch, propping her feet on the arm of the couch. "I guess I don't get a 'hello' then, Kurt," she said, smiling up at him.

"How's my diva doing?" Kurt asked, taking in her appearance and expression of pure exhaustion. "Tired, I'm guessing."

"You guessed it." she said, laughing weakly. "God, I could sleep for days. But I'm starving.. _Shit._ I completely forgot to get groceries and clean the fridge out before I left. Oh God, everything's probably gone bad..." She spoke to herself, sitting up quickly.

Kurt held up a hand. "Yes, everything was starting to go bad, but I took the liberty of buying you guys groceries and cleaning up your place.. It was kind of a wreck when you left, Rachel. Luckily, I held on to that spare key you gave me two years ago."

Finn smiled at his brother, nodding a little, "Thanks man, we really appreciate it." He leaned back in his chair and just sighed out a long sigh, signaling his exhaustion.

Rachel, however, was up and waddling to the kitchen, eating anything she could get her hands on. Peanut butter, yogurt, milk. God, she just wanted to drink milk forever. She'd never realized how _amazing_ milk was. After pouring herself a rather large, maybe too large, glass of milk, and bringing a full box of Oreo cookies into the bedroom, she stood in the living room and sighed. "Kurt.. We love you, and we really want to spend time with you, but we really-"

"Need sleep." He finished for her, nodding. I just wanted to stop and say hi, really. I'll see you guys later." Kurt smiled and slipped out of their apartment, leaving Finn and Rachel alone.

In that moment, life felt sweet. Literally. They were both curled up in the bed underneath the thick, white down comforter and the one-thousand thread count sheets that Rachel had forced Finn to buy for her because she said they'd be worth it, and they were. Rachel drank her whole glass of milk and had eaten nearly a fourth of the box of Oreos herself.

"We're going to be out of milk by tomorrow, Finn." she told him, drinking down the last sip of the white liquid and setting the empty glass on the bedside table.

Finn raised an eyebrow at her, giving her a questioning glance. "Why's that?"

"Your daughters love milk." She said, laughing. "God, it's just _so_ good. And peanut butter. I never even tasted anything better in my life.."

Finn walked his fingers slowly across her stomach, resting his warm hand gently on her belly. "It's so weird to think about, still." he sighed.

"Are you upset?" She asked, frowning a little, her eyes glossy already.

Finn shook his head, "No, I'm just scared."

Her frown only deepened. "So you're not sure you can do the whole 'dad thing'? Is that what you're telling me? You don't want to be a dad because you're scared?" She sniffled a little, and he could tell there were clear tears in her eyes.

His head shook quickly again, "Of course not, Rachel. I want to be a dad to our daughters, I _will _be. I'm just scared I won't be any good at it, you know?"

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before getting me pregnant? Don't you see how hard this is for me? I'm scared out of my mind, Finn!" She said forcefully. She hadn't meant to snap, she really hadn't. But moodswings were impossibly unpredictable and unavoidable. "Jesus, Finn."

He let out a long breath, just trying to keep his cool. "Rachel, I'm sorry you took what I said out of context. Now, let's just go to sleep. It's been a long day.. week.. month(s)."

Rachel's frowning face turned instantly into a look of regret, and she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him and bawling into his shirt. Finn barely made out a muffled "I'm sorry" from Rachel, and he felt a wet spot begin to grow on his shirt from her tears. He pulled her away from him and looked into her eyes, smiling a little. "I love you so much." He said, leaning close to her to kiss her lips gently.

"I'm scared, too, Finn. I'm so scared." She admitted, staring at him with red rimmed eyes and a runny nose.

Finn wiped her eyes with the sheets and held her close. "Well, we're going to have to be scared together then, okay? We're just going to have to get through it together."

His hand found her belly again and rested there and he reached with his other hand for the remote and turned out a movie he was sure would brighten her mood. _Funny Girl._

They watched it and Finn didn't even mind when Rachel hummed along to every single song, because he had missed that the most about her. Her voice, pure and perfect. And it was little things like this, laying in bed with a movie and cookies, that really reminded him of what he'd been missing the last few months.

And when she sang along to the final song of the musical, he didn't care about all the annoying things she did and how crazy she could be sometimes. She was beautiful and sexy and actually perfect. He hoped his girls would be the same way. Just like Rachel.

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**Remember, REVIEW!**


	14. Chapter 12

**Hey everyone, back with another chapter before I head back to school for the week. :) I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Also, please visit my page and do the poll I have set up! I need your guys's help in choosing names for the babies! I have already decided one name, Evelyn, and it's up to you guys to pick the second from a list I have provided. Also, reviews are my world, and they make me so incredibly happy. Please review and enjoy!**

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"Finn, _Jesus_, why did I never eat these things when I wasn't pregnant?" Rachel asked Finn, looking over at him from the other side of the couch. She held a hamburger in her petit hands, grinning over at him.

Finn laughed a little and just shrugged, "Well, you were kind of a vegan before you got pregnant.." He took a sip of his water and ran his hands slowly over his wife's feet, which rested in his lap gently.

"Never fear. I will go back to my ways as a loyal vegan after your daughters are born. Which I hope is soon, because I already feel like a whale and it's only been five months." She told him, ending her rant with a long sigh.

"You're beautiful, Rach. Words can't even express how crazy beautiful you are."

"If you really mean that, you'd do something special for me," she said, lifting one foot a little and wiggling it around. "They're swollen and they _hurt." _Rachel smiled sweetly at him, batting her eyelashes.

He rolled his eyes and took her swollen foot in his hands and massaged it slowly. Rachel always swore that if the military thing didn't work out, he could become a masseuse at how magical his hands were. But maybe that's just because he was her husband. Either way, she loved it. And she loved that hamburger because she took the last bite of her _second_ one.

Finn kneaded his knuckles into her small foot, admiring each toe and freshly painted black toenail, realizing that he might not have ever seen these toes again. And he realized that he had forgotten what her toes looked like when he was gone. _Note to self, _he thought, _remember to pay close attention to the little things about Rachel, like her toes. _

Rachel had finished the last of her second hamburger and relaxed into the soft cushions of the couch, feeling her eyelids come closer together with each passing second. By the time Finn had switched to the next foot, he realized she was fast asleep.

He obviously couldn't carry her to their bedroom, given his current state with walking and what not, and he couldn't exactly lay next to her given his leg was almost in a full cast. So he settled with just letting her feet rest in his lap.

They'd had a relaxing few days of being home. Hot baths every night, tea before bed, cuddling and snuggling to _no end._ Not to mention, Rachel was almost like a rabbit when it came to sex these days. Usually, she didn't like to do it more than once a day, but her hormones were driving her nuts and it was almost like she couldn't get enough of him. He did not mind that one bit.

They were scheduled for a flight later that afternoon to Lima, Ohio. It was time to visit their parents, especially Finn's, since they hadn't seen him since before Christmas, and they had been under the impression that he had been dead for the past four months as well. He was not particularly worried about Rachel on this flight, because it really was only around an hour's length in time.

They would stay in Lima for the week, visiting and relaxing at Finn's home, because Rachel's fathers would only be in town for three days before leaving for Miami on an anniversary vacation. Her fathers tended to vacation a lot, and that was okay because they preferred the sun to the dreary weather of Lima any day, but then again, who wouldn't prefer that?

Mr. Schuester had called Finn up that morning also, wondering if he and Rachel could possibly stop by the school and say hello to the newest crop of Glee kids, to which he gladly agreed. They made a point to stop by at least once a year to visit the kids, because they were kind of legends at Mckinley. Well, not at Mckinley, but in the Glee club, which was still going strong with the losers of the school. It was still at the bottom. Finn would never admit it, but he really preferred it at the bottom of the social heap, because being slushied at least once in a person's life was good. It built character to get soaked in the sticky, freezing liquid.

Anyway, his brain was off topic. They'd packed lightly, and Rachel had rescheduled a doctor's appointment, which actually turned out to be difficult because when Rachel first got pregnant, she began seeing a very reputable doctor, often to Broadway and movie stars in the city; very posh, but very good care. Anyhow, it was difficult to find a slot to move her appointment to, because apparently that doctor was extremely booked, like restaurant reservations. Finn had suggested they try another doctor, but Rachel vehemently refused. If there was anything she was extremely particular about, it was doctors. Rachel was the kind of person who needed the opinion of every person around her, even if she wasn't going to listen to the opinion in the first place. So when it came to choosing doctors, she needed the best of the best. He didn't mind that.

Finn leaned his head back on the couch and sighed, letting his heavy eyelids close. And just as his mind began to slip from him, a jingle of keys and a quick knock on the door let him know that Kurt was coming in, and he couldn't stop him. He sat his head up and blinked blearily. He entered the apartment and set his man purse, or whatever you would call it, down on the table by the door and stood in front of the couch. "Hey," he said quietly, noticing that Rachel was out, "So I'm coming back to Lima with you guys today. Oh, jeez," he said, noticing the sleepiness on Finn's face, "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry."

"Nah, I wasn't asleep. Just kind of dozing. But yeah, that's cool. Mom and Burt will like that." He replied, nodding a little.

"Yeah, I figure it'll be nice to have the whole family together for a little while. I can only stay for three days though, cause Fashion Week is starting soon and Isabelle has me swamped. But I told her this was a family crisis, so we're good."

"Oh, well hey, it's better than nothing, right?" He said quietly, running his fingers along Rachel's leg. She fidgeted in her sleep and frowned a little, then sat up.

"So the sleeping giant has awoken." Kurt said jokingly, sitting in the chair opposite the couch.

Finn had never seen a more evil glare come from Rachel Berry Hudson's eyes, and she aimed it right at Kurt. "The girls woke me up because they won't stop moving around. But you just called me a giant."

Kurt shook his head, holding a hand out defensively. "I didn't mean it like that, grumpy pants."

"You think this is funny," she asked, sitting up with difficulty, placing her hand on her stomach protectively, "being pregnant with twins isn't _funny_ Kurt. It sucks and it's hard work." She spat at him, her glare holding on his face. Finn could see the tears rimming her eyelids, and he wished he could say something, but he figured it was best to stay out of it. "You know, you men are all the same, gay or straight! You're all assholes and you only care about yourself! You think it's so funny to make fun of me because I'm pregnant, well it's not funny _Kurt_!" She stood up, her hands resting on her lower back and she paced around the living room. "You don't know what it feels like at all, so don't you ever call me grumpy again or I swear I'll make you pay!"

She stomped toward the bedroom and slammed the door, and Finn could hear her sobbing from the living room. He looked toward Kurt, his eyes wide and shocked. "Sorry about that.. She's been.. doing that a lot. It's not you, I swear." He told Kurt, laughing a little.

Kurt shook his head, nodding. "It's the pregnancy hormones making her crazy. I just feel bad for you because you've got to live with it. Back when we lived together in college, I swore she PMS'ed sometimes, but she never got this bad.."

"Yeah, she kind of cries like, five times a day. And then she'll get really happy, then she'll want to have sex-"

"Whoa now. TMI, Finn." Kurt said, laughing a little. "And do you know what?"

"What?" Finn asked, folding his arms behind his head and resting against them.

"It's only going to get worse, and you have this for like three or four more months."

Finn sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I'm not sure I'll make it till then."

"Nah, you'll get through it. You know, I've always got an extra bed at my place."

"I'll be okay, I think." He told Kurt, smiling a little.

Kurt stood and grabbed his man purse again. "Well, see you in two hours at the airport. Do not be late."

"I don't think I can, because I have that one in there. She's probably the most punctual person in the world."

Kurt laughed lightly and nodded, then left the apartment, leaving Finn sitting alone on the couch. Rachel's sobs had stopped, and it was silent in the apartment.

Carefully, Finn maneuvered himself into his chair and slowly wheeled himself to their bedroom, knocking gingerly on the door. "Rachel?"

"Is Kurt out there?" she asked quietly, her voice thick with the remnants of the sobs she had previously been cursed with.

"No, he's gone back to his apartment." Finn told her gently, reaching to twist the doorknob. He found it was locked; not surprising for Rachel.

He heard the click of the doorknob turning and unlocking, then the door opened and he saw Rachel standing before him, with red-rimmed eyes and messy hair. Finn reached his arms out and pulled her into his lap, allowing her to sit on his good leg. He kissed her neck gently and breathed in the scent of her strawberry shampoo. One smell he could never get enough of.

Rachel sighed and kissed his scruffy cheek, then looked up at him, "Is Kurt upset with me?"

"No, he's fine.. He just went back to pack and stuff cause he's coming to Lima with us."

"Oh," she muttered, a little upset, "I don't know what I was thinking, yelling like that. I'm so sorry.." she said, and he could tell she was close to tears.

His hand slid soothingly up and down her back, comforting her, "Hey, don't cry babe. I'm sure he forgives you. It's no big deal."

"I'm just sick of not being in control of my emotions." She told him through a sob, "I don't want to be pregnant anymore. It's not fun at all."

"Babe, it's gonna be fine. We're getting through it together, okay? And you only have a few months left, then we'll have the babies here."

"I'm not even prepared. I haven't even begun on the nursery, and how do we even know I'll be a good mother? I'm already a mediocre wife, and I'll probably just be a mediocre mother, too."

"Rachel, don't you ever say that about yourself again. Do you hear me?" Finn told her sternly, looking into her eyes. "You are not, nor have you ever been a mediocre wife. You're all that I could hope for and more.. I don't even know what you saw in me all those years ago, and what you still see to be able to stay with me. Really, Rachel.." he shook his head, sighing. "You are perfect in every sense of the word. You are headstrong, stubborn, difficult, and passionate. You are everything that I need and everything that I adore and you could never be less. Our children will love you, and you will be amazing." He finished his monologue off with a gentle kiss to the cheek, and she couldn't help but blush a bit at his words.

"You're my beacon of light, guiding me through the darkness." She told him, grinning. She remembered back in their senior year of high school, he had told her that. And they broke up the following year, and they were both in the dark. Somehow, miraculously, they found their way back to each other.

"Finn, I have to ask you something." Rachel said seriously, pulling out of his grasp slightly to look him in his eyes.

Finn frowned a little, wondering if this was bad or not. "Anything, Rach. You know you can ask me anything."

"Can you go get me the ice cream from the freezer?" She asked him, biting her lip ever so slightly as she stood from his chair.

He laughed quietly and nodded, wheeling his chair into the kitchen to get the quart of frozen deliciousness from the freezer, then brought it back to her along with a spoon.

She took it from him and curled up on the couch, watching some reality show that she was obsessed with at this point in time. Her show choices changed almost as often as her wardrobe changes did.

* * *

Later in the day, when they were finally packed and Rachel had changed clothes yet again, convinced she looked like a whale, they were ready to head to the airport. She had checked and rechecked the bags to ensure that there was nothing suspicious and pat down worthy in them, and there wasn't. Security was a breeze, and the plane was not packed in the slightest. That was not surprising though, because really, how many people from New York wanted to go to Ohio? Not many.

The plane ride, as he'd suspected, was short and sweet and to the point, and Rachel hardly freaked out on takeoff. He was feeling fine as well, having taken two painkillers fro his leg the hour before, so things really weren't bad at all.

Kurt met them there, and Rachel had profusely apologized. The two had quickly gotten back into the swing of being best friends, and no sooner had they made up did they begin vehemently discussing the Broadway world; who was in what shows, what was good right now, and who did they think would win a Tony this year. Finn, who was certainly no expert in Broadway, truly believed Rachel would win a Tony. She _had _ been invited to attend the upcoming awards in September, hadn't she? And to him, her performance as Eva Peron in Evita was simply outstanding, and much better than the sub par performances he'd seen in years past when Rachel had dragged him to see show after show after show.

She would be perfect and he just knew it. He just knew she'd win something. But now, he let his mind rest on that plane ride, absentmindedly listening to Rachel and Kurt discuss Kurt's plans for the nursery. He had _big, extravagant _plans.

His brain clouded a little and he could not keep himself awake any longer.

* * *

**So, just a little fluffiness for you guys to lay off the heavy stuff for a bit. But it's about to get awesome because I'm super excited to write more of this. I would really appreciate it if you could tell your friends about the story or perhaps advertise it on tumblr or somewhere that you would because I work so hard writing this story, and I'd really love for it to get more recognition than it is currently getting... :) Thank you to all the fans who have stuck with me this far and believe in me, because you're all awesome!**

**Review and do the poll on my profile!**


	15. Chapter 13

**Hey! So...I have some explaining to do. I know. This is SO late.. I'm really a horrible person with updates, because I have had a horrible writer's block these past few months. Literally every time I'd sit to write, my mind would blank. This chapter's been in the works for two months now. Anyhow, it's sort of short, but I think it's sweet. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

It was hard to remember a time when he hadn't slept soundly through the night. Especially when he was right next to Rachel. But for some reason, falling asleep was difficult these days. Staying asleep was worse. He'd finally drifted to sleep sometime between midnight and 1 AM, carefully listening to the sound of Rachel's rhythmic breathing and the hum of the ceiling fan above him.

And then he was in a dark room. The same dark room, or shack, rather, that he swore he'd escaped from weeks ago. _But why,_ he thought, _am I back? Didn't I escape?_

He groaned when he moved, feeling sharp, familiar pains shoot through his leg. His mind felt muddled and his body ached with soreness and stiffness. Luckily, his hands weren't tied and he surprisingly still had his gun. Carefully, Finn stood on his good leg and squinted, trying somehow to see through the darkness of the dirty room. There was a chair and a dirty, wooden table. The door to the shack was shut, keeping the bright sunlight out.

Suddenly, there was light. A lot of light. And there was loudness, noise everywhere, surrounding him. And he was surrounded by not only light and noise, but people. Yelling people, men with guns. _Bang. _Then he was on the ground, clutching his good leg, screaming. However, it can hardly be called a good leg anymore, not with the bullet holes in it. _Bang_. Then it's his arm and he yells in pain, begging the men to stop, or to shoot him in the head already. He's never felt as much pain in his life until now. Then it happens and he only wishes he could see Rachel before he goes, because she's probably worried sick about him.

_Bang._

He sat up in the bed, sweating and panting. _It was all a dream. _

Finn glanced to his side to make sure Rachel was still asleep next to him, and sure enough, she was. However, she stirred and sat up in the bed as well, frowning slightly at him.

"Finn," she said, squinting in the darkness at him, "Are you alright?"

He nodded, leaning his forehead into his hand and sighing, "Just had a bad dream."

Almost instantly, her arms were around him and he felt her plant a warm kiss on his cheek. "D'you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, frowning a little. Carefully, he wrapped one arm around her as well. "I'd rather not. It was kind of...just..I don't want to tell you about it."

She nodded in understanding, sighing a little and rubbing her thumb soothingly into his side, like she always did when he was upset about something.

The room was dimly lit by the moonlight and he realized quickly where he was. Cowboy wallpaper. Collectable superhero action figures lining the bookshelf on the far wall. Mysterious green stain on the carpet near the door (from a science experiment gone wrong with Puck in the fifth grade). He was home, with Rachel, in a queen size bed, which was too large for the room, but his mother had tried to accommodate them both, and a twin bed simply wouldn't cut it. Rachel was a bed hog, even if she _did_ love snuggling. He always ended up almost off the bed every morning.

Yawning, he laid back down, arms wrapped tightly around Rachel. "Are _you_ okay?" He asked her, noting the softness of the light on her cheeks from the moon. She was perfect.

"I'm fine. Well, I'm hungry. But I can wait till morning." She told him, one hand resting gently on her stomach. Six months was fast approaching, which meant it was getting increasingly more difficult to fight her hunger off when it came. Also, she _constantly_ had to pee. Darn twins.

Finn sat up again and shook his head. "Nah, you should get something. I'd come with you, but.." he laughed a little and motioned to the cast on his leg, "I don't want to wake the whole house."

She shook her head and smiled, standing up and pulling her robe on. "I'll just go. You stay put."

Quietly, she walked into the kitchen, careful not to wake anyone in the house. Rachel knew what she wanted, and once she had the jar of peanut butter in her hand, she poured herself a glass of milk.

She retrieved the package of Oreos his mother had hidden in the cabinet, which she knew he'd want and stepped over the creaky steps and the floorboards as she made her way back upstairs.

She giggled as she fell onto the bed, crawling under his cowboy comforter, protecting herself from the cool air in the room. He kissed her gently and took the package of Oreos from her and shoved one in his mouth, eternally grateful that his wife knew him this well.

Shortly, they finished their late-night snacks and relaxed into the bed once more, holding each other. Finn swore he could stay like this forever, just holding her near and close.

Morning came as quickly as they'd fallen asleep and Finn woke to the familiar smells and sounds of bacon cooking in the kitchen. The smell was familiar to him in that it was his alarm clock during his years in high school. Honestly, the boy loved bacon more than any healthy person should, so when his nose sensed it, he was awake and alert and ready to eat.

He sat up in the bed and stretched his arms out. Sure enough, as he expected, he was barely on the bed and only half his body was covered by the comforter. Rachel, however, slept soundly, her legs and arms sprawled in a grand display across the bed. She always took up most of the covers and the mattress space. Finn didn't mind though, because of how adorably cute it was to see Rachel, tiny Rachel, seem so large.

Gently, he nudged her arm and she groaned and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What do you want?" she asked, her tone sour.

"Breakfast. It's bacon, but I'm sure my mom has some of that soy bacon stuff you like. Also coffee and probably french toast."

Her mood rapidly changed and she was out of the bed, already slipping her pink, fuzzy robe over her shoulders. "You had me at bacon." She said, grinning back at him and kissing him softly on the cheek.

After breakfast, the pair returned upstairs to get ready for the day. They were going to McKinley for the day to see Mr. Schuester and the current Glee club at the school.

Rachel stood in front of the full length mirror in his bathroom, frowning deeply. She was becoming _very_ pregnant and everything she wore pissed her off. She claimed nothing fit right and she says she looks like she's "been stuffed into a sausage casing". He usually says nothing to these comments, because usually anything he says gets him into trouble. Truthfully, he thinks she's beautiful no matter what, and he tells her, but she never believes him. It's sad, really.

She finally settled on a blue summer dress. She wasn't happy with the decision, but they had to leave soon and this was what she decided made her look the least fat.

Slowly, she made her way to the car with Finn following. Unfortunately, neither was in a position to drive so his mother drove them to the school. It felt strangely like a flashback to high school for Finn. Then they were there and memories began to flood his mind. He hadn't been here in years, and from the looks of the outside, it hadn't changed in years either. Was it nostalgia that he felt? He didn't know. Maybe a sort of emotional pain from the friends he'd had and left behind. Past girlfriends. A past life here. One thing he'd brought with him though was sitting right beside him, clutching his hand in hers.

The halls of Mckinley High were just as they had been when she'd left them years ago. Red and white, faint stains from grape flavored slushies on the linoleum, and even the remnants of a cat sticker she'd had on the outside of her locker sophomore year.

The bell rang and suddenly the halls were filled with teenagers, and Rachel and Finn were fighting to push through the crowd. It was familiar and terrible and slightly funny all at the same time. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they made it safely to the choir room. The room was nearly the same as it was when they were in Glee club, the piano, the chairs, the same type of students in their seats, and old Will Schuester standing at the front with an Expo marker in hand.

Rachel knocked gently on the door before walking into the room. "Mr. Schue." she said, smiling widely at him. They hadn't seen Will since their wedding a few years ago.

He grinned back at her, not as surprised to see them as she thought he might be. Finn reached for his hand and shook it like an old friend and they exchanged weird smiles and it was like twenty years had passed.

"Finn, man, how are you? Your mom stopped by the school a week ago and told me the situation. And Rachel, you look good, too. Got a little one on the way?"

"Or two." Finn said, smiling. "Leg's okay, got a little roughed up over seas but I'm home for good now."

Will nodded and looked back at the other door to the choir room and made a hand motion, and suddenly the room was filled with friends of the past. The room was full of people Rachel didn't seem to recognize. They were older, more mature versions of the friends she left behind a long time ago.

Mercedes, Quinn, Noah, Sam, Santana, Brittany, Blaine, Kurt, Tina, Artie, and Mike. The whole group of original Glee kids together again. It was like a dream to her.

They all exchanged looks of happiness and welcome and each gathered around Finn and Rachel and began the hugs and the questions of 'What happened' 'How are you' and exclamations of 'Oh my God, you're pregnant!'

Rachel had to sit after a while because the excitement was making her tired. The new glee kids sat awkwardly in their seats, watching the reunion with hopeful eyes, probably hoping that someday they'd do this themselves. To them, the originals were legends.

So much had changed. Some were married, some had kids. All were ready to sing together again, like they so frequently had those years ago.

They lined up beside each other, Rachel in the middle, of course, and sang their hearts out, the new glee kids watching with adoration and hopefulness.

Once they finished, Rachel was left at the front alone and the rest took seats at the front. She looked around, slightly confused for a moment before realizing what she was expected to do.

Mercedes looked up at her and smiled brightly, "You know you don't get to leave here without this, right?"

Rachel felt her cheeks getting hot and looked down, the familiar wide smile across her face. "Well, I have been working on a little something. I've recently dug it out of the graveyard of solos I've done in the past. Who's up for a little Barbra?"

"Oh God, I knew it." Kurt said, laughing lightly.

Quinn and Puck exchanged similar smiles to one another and Quinn spoke up. "I never realized how much I missed this."

Rachel looked around at everyone and stood straight and tall, her posture nearly perfect and she imagined herself on the stage, back in New York. She thought back to the first time she'd stepped foot on the stage there, the stage on which she would perform breathtaking roles, good enough to win her a Tony nomination three years in a row, including this year.

And the music was then filling her body, and her mind, all at once. It was amazing, to truly be immersed by song again, as she had been once. She lost touch with it in these past months, and that had to change. The lyrics, she knew by heart, flowed from her lips. _My Man_ was truly her forte; she had that song down to an art form, it was perfect, flawless, spectacular even. How good it felt on her lips once more..

She had barely finished the song when the clapping began, and she was taken from her Broadway stage back to the little classroom in Lima, Ohio.

Eventually, the final hugs were exchanged and promises were made to keep in touch, especially when the little ones were born, and Carol Hummel sat outside the school in her car, patiently waiting for them. Rachel carefully helped Finn into the car and got in beside him, her head on his shoulder.

"I missed that. It was wonderful, seeing all of them again."

Finn nodded and held his arm around her waist, making sure she was comfortably close to him. "It was a surprise, but a great surprise."

"So, guys, I have dinner ready at home. Rachel, honey, I made burgers but I got you a special one from the store. They assured me it was completely vegan, so I think you'll be okay. Is that okay?"

Rachel was quick to answer her, and so was her stomach. "Oh that'll be wonderful, Carol. Thank you so much.. I'm starving."

The night ended with the both of them passed out on the couch in the living room, _TItanic_ playing quietly on the television. It was a rather cute scene.


End file.
